How do you delete contacts from Yahoo Instant Messenger (YIM)?

Hey Dave - I recently got an iMac. And have signed up on the Yahoo Instant Messenger (YIM). How can I delete someone on my list?

Dave's Answer:

I have been running Yahoo Instant Messenger 3 beta and this documents how you can delete a contact from Yahoo Messenger.

First off, you'll want to ensure that you have your contacts window displayed and that you can see the contact you want to remove from your list. Then Control-Click on that person (that is, hold down the Control or Ctrl key on your keyboard and click) which will bring up the following contextual menu:

Yahoo Messenger (YIM) for Mac OS X: Contextual Menu

Choose "Delete...", as highlighted and... nothing happens! Hmmm... looks like this is an unimplemented feature in Yahoo Messenger, perhaps? It also produces no results if you try to choose Contacts --> Delete... so I'm not exactly sure what to advise if you're running 3.0 beta.

As an experiment, I backed up to Yahoo Messenger version 2.5.3 and tried the same thing. The menu is definitely different:

This time I need to choose Remove Friend... but this time, at least, it appears something's going to work:

Yahoo Messenger (YIM) for Mac OS X: Confirm Delete

Click "Delete" and, a second or two later, they're off my list.

So that's your answer. If you're running Yahoo Messenger 3 beta, it's time to backup and run 2.5.3 because there are still too many bugs.

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Categorized: Mac OS X Help (Article 7455, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: instant messenger, yahoo messenger, yim
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Reader Comments To Date: 20

bhanu said, on July 17, 2007 8:04 AM:

hi i need delate my friend list yahoo messanger

michele said, on June 9, 2008 7:30 AM:

if i delete contacts from my yahoo messenger list can i retrieve them please how do i find the ones i deleted
thank you
michele

nilo esguerra said, on July 10, 2008 5:29 AM:

i can i deleted my sign # in cellphone in my yahoo.messanger?because i dont like if everytime i online or who`s in my friends online make recieved a message thats why i want to deleted my # cellphone...

mitosindia said, on January 23, 2009 11:54 PM:

if i delete contacts from my yahoo messenger list can i retrieve them please how do i find the ones i deleted

gangadhar said, on January 24, 2009 6:23 AM:

i lose my messanger contact list unfortunatly how can i get back my contact list

Bobbie said, on January 28, 2009 6:13 AM:

I am not able to delete members from my messenger. There is no where that says delete.

sarfraz said, on March 22, 2009 6:04 AM:

please help how to remove my contact details from messenger

Trevor said, on April 26, 2009 3:44 AM:

Im trying to delete contacts from the Archive List but havent been able to find a way ? i can delete the chat but not the contact. im using a mac YIM 3 beta

camatchou said, on May 10, 2009 2:47 AM:

i want make back a history of instant message yahoo since 2006 , how i can do this ?

thx.

anuj k soni said, on June 2, 2009 10:36 AM:

hey... i really wana retreive my contacts of messenger... can u plzz help me out...

Steve said, on June 10, 2009 9:03 AM:

I selected delete and hit enter and the dialogue box came up. I selected yes and the friend was gone.

Abid said, on August 9, 2009 8:25 AM:

Hi, I deleted contact from yahoo messenger 9.0
is there any way to retrieve it

bill said, on August 29, 2009 4:27 PM:

Dear Dave Taylor, Well am gonna really like this here. because am very new at all this so keep up the good work. i thank-you again bill

Friend said, on October 12, 2009 8:43 PM:

If you hoover your mouse to the right end of the contact an down arrow will appear. Click the arrow and select Remove.

darkloser98 said, on November 24, 2009 10:01 PM:

Thanx..
i don't know..
what to say..
but..
thank u..

u help me a lot..
to stay away from my friends..
coz he likes sex..

Yolanda said, on December 26, 2009 9:06 PM:

Hi, Im having trouble with Yahoo IM Mac Beta 3 version. I've tried to set myself up so that once I log out of Yahoo IM, IM's will go directly to my cell phone as a text. I was successful with this in the past, I'm just not sure why its not working now. I've followed Yahoo's instructions and no luck. I've rebooted both devices. I really am at a loss. Do you have any idea what could be wrong?

Thank you so much!

Cynthia said, on June 28, 2011 8:37 AM:

Hi, i have deleted a few of my friends in yahoo messenger. but in yahoo mail there is also a chat option and i see still see them as my contacts there. my question is, can they see me when i am online on yahoo mail and activate the chat option?

pamela said, on October 10, 2011 10:55 PM:

how can be erase the name of the people under my ym box??many of my friends why i connect that someone.pls answer me immediately??

Tom said, on June 11, 2012 4:40 PM:

Dave
I am on a iMac4,1 10.6.8
I had someone ask to be added to my Yahoo Instant Messenger list. I thought I agreed. Under her name is "Add request pending", for dayS (Plural) now. When I come on-line, I get a short greeting from her, I reply, Nothing. Now I have found that if I sign out, then sign right back in, I get a greeting frequently. I am assuming she cannot see anything after I sign in. I have tried deleting her, signing out then back in and there she is. I would appreciate any suggestions.
Tom

Joan said, on August 5, 2012 10:41 AM:

I have Mac Lion 10.7.4 and am using Yahoo Messenger 3.0.2

From the Message Archive screen, I cannot delete the users.

Can you help?

I've searched they system for a file, but cannot find one. There is no Library.

Thank you
Joan

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

How do you delete contacts from Yahoo Instant Messenger (YIM)?

Reader Comments To Date: 20

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

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