Communicator Help: Using Instant Messenger<sup><font size=-1>TM</font></sup> for AOL<sup><font size=-2>®</font></sup> Communicator

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Using Instant Messenger for AOL Communicator

Using Screen Names

You must have at least one AOL® member screen name to use AOL® Communicator.

Once you have created your first AOL® Communicator Mail account using a valid AOL member screen name, you can use the same screen name to sign on to Instant Messenger™ for AOL® Communicator. You can also sign on using additional AOL member screen names, AOL Instant Messenger™ (AIM®) screen names, or ICQ® IDs.

Each of your AOL member screen names and AIM screen names has its own password and e-mail address.

Registering a New Screen Name
Creating an Additional AOL Screen Name
Changing Your E-mail Address
Changing Your Password

Registering a New Screen Name

If you don't yet have a screen name, there are three main ways to get one:

- Sign up for an AOL® account at http://www.aol.com
- Sign up for an Instant Messenger™ account at http://www.aim.com
- Sign up for a Netscape® account at http://home.netscape.com

If you already have an AOL account and want to create an additional screen name for that account, see the next section, Creating an Additional AOL Screen Name.

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Creating an Additional AOL Screen Name

Each AOL account can have up to seven screen names at any one time.

The screen name you chose when you first registered as an AOL member is your master screen name and cannot be deleted or changed. Other screen names that you create can be deleted at any time.

To create a new screen name for your AOL account:

1. Sign on to your AOL account with a master screen name (the first screen name you created when you registered as an AOL member, or another screen name you have designated as an additional master screen name).
2. Open the Settings menu on the AOL® toolbar and click Screen Names.
3. In the AOL Screen Names window, click Create a Screen Name.

Read and follow the instructions for creating a screen name, selecting a password, and designating the Parental Controls category for the new screen name.

Notes on Screen Names:

- Screen names can have from three to sixteen characters (letters, numbers, and/or spaces). The first character in a screen name must be a letter, and will be capitalized automatically.
- If the screen names you select are already in use, the AOL® service will suggest a screen name for you. If you do not like the suggestion, just delete the suggested screen name and try again. There is no limit on how many times you can try different names.
- America Online reserves the right to delete any screen name it deems to be in violation of the AOL® Terms of Service (TOS).

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Changing Your E-mail Address

Whether you can change the main e-mail address associated with a screen name depends on how you first registered the screen name.

- AIM Screen Name: To change an e-mail address associated with an AIM screen name, you must be running AIM 5.1 or a later version. (AIM 5.1 is a standalone AIM client that runs independently of AOL® client software or other software that includes AIM, such as AOL Communicator or Netscape® 7.0.).
  The e-mail address for your screen name is normally the screen name followed by "@aol.com".
- Netscape® Network Screen Name: If you have a screen name for use with the Netscape Network, there are two e-mail addresses associated with the screen name:
  The e-mail address you specified when you first signed up. To change it, use your screen name to log on at http://home.netscape.com and click My Account.
  The e-mail address formed by adding "@netscape.net" after the screen name. You cannot change this e-mail address.
- AOL Member Screen Name
  You cannot change an e-mail address associated with an AOL member screen name.
  The e-mail address for each of your screen names is simply the screen name followed by "@aol.com".

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Changing Your Password

The procedure for changing your screen name password varies slightly depending on the type of screen name you're signed on with:

- If your screen name is one of those associated with your AOL member account, you must change it from within the AOL client software (such as AOL® 9.0 Optimized).
- If your screen name is one that you obtained for use with standalone AIM® software only, you must change it at the AIM web site.

In either case, you start the same way from your Buddy List® window:

1. Make sure you are signed on to the appropriate service using the screen name whose password you want to change.
2. From your Buddy List window, open the MyIM menu and choose Change Password.
   If you're signed on with an AOL member account screen name, you'll see a window informing you that you're about to launch AOL client software. In this case, go to step 3.

If you're signed on with an AIM screen name, your browser opens to the page at aim.aol.com where you can change that screen name's password. In this case, go to step 4.

3. If the AOL client software opens, click Change Password, type your current password, then type the new password twice and click Change Password to save the change.
   Your new AOL member password is now set, and you are ready to start using that password with the screen name that you're currently signed in with.
4. If your browser opens to the page for changing your AIM password, type the screen name whose password you want to change (if it's not already entered for you), type your current password, then type the new password twice and click Continue.
   Your new AIM password is now set, and you are ready to start using that password with the AIM screen name that you're currently signed in with.

Related topics:

Using the Password Quality Meter

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Last Updated September 16, 2003