MSN Messenger Tips

When the Live Social Feed does not update and shot any photos from Facebook but regular status updates are showing and videos are displaying as well, there usually is a sync problem between Facebook and Windows Live account.  This issue seems to happen as well on home.live.com and on the Windows Phone 7 mobile version.  You will have to remove and reconnect your Facebook account to Windows Live Messenger 2011 again.

If you have non-Hotmail, non-MSN accounts such as @yahoo.com, @gmail.com etc, you can change e-mail address and still keep Windows Live Messenger contact lists. However, you can only change the old e-mail address to an account that does not exist yet. Here’s how:

The zoomed in webcam problem affects both Windows Live Messenger 2011 users and MSN Messenger 2009 users, in a wide range of cameras. The issue has to do mainly with the cam being just too zoomed in (always talking about your own video streaming). Another related problem is that the controls in settings are always greyed out, so is not possible to move the zoom slide.

How to Zoom Out a Webcam on Windows Live Messenger.

1. Go to Tools >> Audio & Video Settings >> Webcam Settings >> Camera Control
2. Slide the zoom control to the left and uncheck the option Auto
3. Sign out and then Sign In Again

If your Windows Live Messenger camera still appears to be too zoomed in try the following.

1. Download a Webcam Program called ManyCam.
2. This program will serve as sorts of bridge between Messenger and your camera, it has several configuration options as well.
3. In order to start using it go again to Tools >> Audio & Video Settings .  Choose ManyCam as your default webcam.

If you have installed Windows Live Messenger 2011, you might have noticed the nickname option (custom display name) was gone, though there are some workarounds to still change it.  However, you still can modify and set a custom nickname for any of your contacts. This feature is tied with Windows Live services.  Read the tip below.

If you have several dozens of Facebook friends integrated on Windows Live Messenger 2011 and the constant sign in notifications have become annoying then you can turn them off easily from the options menu.  The bad side is that you will be also removing notifications for your regular Messenger contacts as well.

If you add new friends on Facebook but they don’t appear on your Windows Live Messenger 2011 contact lists, you need to resync the service in order for your friends to show on msn. The update require a few steps, but if you really like the integrated facebook chat then it’s worth doing it.

Recovering pictures that were shared in previous instant messages with your contacts and later deleted from the default storing folder is possible.All pictures, photos, images and any other type of files that are received through a successful transfer on any Windows Live Messenger are located and stored in the Temp Windows Messenger folder.  So if you still want to retrieve an old picture received in a conversation that was already closed, you can look there.  Read the mini guide below for details.

Sometimes a contact sends you a direct link pointing to a jpeg or jpg picture or image and Windows Live Messenger 2011 automatically opens it.  Though most users don’t like this there’s currently no method or script that can prevent msn messenger from doing this.  This event only occurs when the link is pointed to a photo sharing website.  It has nothing to do with the photo sharing function and is not related to viruses or trojans either.

Many users new to Windows Live Messenger 2011 wonder how to change the size of the main screen window after they sign in. The full screen size shows your contact updates, social feeds, like facebook, picture galeries and the games tab.  However, it is annoying if you don’t use all these features.  This option is not located in Tools >> Options, but rather in the main msn window. You can switch from regular to full size view easily

How to reduce (or maximize) Windows Live Messenger 2011 Main Window Size.

1. If you have the full screen, look at the top right corner of your main msn messenger screen.
2. Right next to your name and email counter (inbox) there’s a small button half white, half grey, click on it.
3. If you have the reduced size and to see all your social updates, click on the same button now located right next to your “add a contact” icon.
4. Switch to Compact View and Switch to Full View is a concept that was introduced on WLM 2011.

Amongst all the features that changed how they used to work, and the rest that were gone, you can find the Share Something New Box, located in Windows Live Messenger 2011.  The messages you enter in that box might spread a bit further than to just your contacts reach if you don’t have Windows Live Setting properly configured.  The Share Something box is not a notification, but a social update that gets sent to your contacts feeds (both msn messenger contacts and email contacts).  If you are wondering, can this share messages box be used as the old display name () aka nickname) full of characters, color and emoticons, that is no longer possible from within WLM 2011. Read the following miniguide on the new Share Status Box.

How to Delete/Empty Share Something on msn messenger 2011

1. Just click on the box, press the space bar once, and then click on Share, your current status will be empty after that.

How to Edit Share Something Content on msn messenger 2011

1. You can’t edit this status box any longer, that means you need to re-type the entire phrase, link, or pictures all over again, you must delete and write again.

How to Turn Off  Share Something With Your Friends Updates on msn messenger 2011

1. Go to Tools >> Options >> Privacy. You will an option that reads “Edit your privacy settings, including who can send you messages and what you share with friends, click on Edit Settings Buttons.
2. Sign in to your Windows Live account.  You will see 3 main Privacy Options, but if you want your status to stop showing you need to click on Advanced to choose your own Custom Settings. Take all the bars to the minimum