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AIM Home > Get Help > Using AIM > Using AIM on Windows
Windows is the most popular computer platform and, not surprisingly, the most popular platform for AIM as well. If you've installed the latest AIM software for Windows, you have access to all the newest features. Learn more from the questions and answers below.
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Q: Why can't I see my buddies in my Buddy List, even though they are online?
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You might not be able to see buddies in your Buddy List for several reasons:
• Make sure that the "Online" tab in the Buddy List window is the active tab.
• If the number in parentheses next to a group indicates that there are buddies online, make sure that the group is expanded. For example, if it says "Friends (5/10)" but no names are listed, then the group is not expanded. To expand the group, click the arrow on the left of the group name so that the arrow points downward.
• Make sure that your buddies are not blocking you and that you are not blocking your buddies. If you block buddies or they block you, you cannot see them.
If the buddies you can't see are using AOL, then they have enabled an option that allows you to send them instant messages but doesn't let you see them on your Buddy List. This feature is only available to AOL users. Ask the AOL users to go the Privacy Preferences in their AOL Buddy List, and choose one of the Allow or Block options that do not cause you to be blocked.
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Q: How do I transfer my Buddy List from one computer to another?
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From the Buddy List window, click the My AIM menu, and select Save Buddy List. Save your Buddy List to a file, and transfer it to your other computer by using a disk or by attaching it to an e-mail. To load the Buddy List file onto your other computer, click the My AIM menu, and select Load Buddy List.
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Q: Why don't other users see me as being idle when I am signed on to AIM but not performing any AIM activities?
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If you are using any application in your computer (or just pressing a key or moving your mouse slightly), AIM does not consider you to be idle. For example, if you are using a word-processing application while you are signed on, AIM does not consider you to be idle.
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Q: Why does AIM ignore my option setting to dim buddies in my Buddy List after they've been idle for 5 minutes? Instead, AIM doesn't dim my buddies' screen names until they've been idle for at least 10 minutes.
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Your buddy's Buddy List program might not be notifying the server that your buddy is idle until after 10 minutes. Each client may be different.
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Q: Why does my Buddy List window appear only in the system tray, and not the taskbar, when I minimize it?
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In order to make an icon appear in the taskbar when the Buddy List is minimized, go into Buddy List preferences and disable the "Hide Taskbar button when Buddy List window is minimized" option.
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Q: What should I do when AIM incorrectly reports how long my buddies have been signed on?
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Open your Control Panel and double-click the Date/Time icon. Check to make sure that the correct time zone, date, and time are set and that the Daylight Savings Time setting is correct.
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Q: How do I unblock a user?
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Go into the Controls section of AIM preferences, and remove the user from the Block List.
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Q: My Buddy List window is taking up the entire screen (seems to always be maximized)
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Although the window appears to be maximized, it probably has just been sized very big instead of being actually maximized. Because it is not technically maximized, the way to fix it is different than if it were maximized. Take the following steps:
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1.) At the top-right of the window, there are three buttons. The left one is Minimize and the right one is Close. The middle one will either be Maximize or Restore. If the middle button currently displays the word "Restore" when you move the mouse over it, then click the button once. If the middle button currently displays the word "Maximize" over it, then do not click the button.
2.) Now simply click on one of the sides or corners of the window and drag your mouse toward the center of the screen to make the window smaller. That should fix the problem. |
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Q: Where can I find the original contents of my Buddy List from before my local Buddy List was merged with my host Buddy List?
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When the merge occurred, the file BuddyListBackup.txt was created on your computer. This file has the contents of both of the original Buddy Lists. Depending on which version of Windows you have, the file will be located in one of the following directories:
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c:\Windows\aim95\screen name\
c:\Windows\Application Data\aim\screen name\
c:\Documents and Settings\Windows username\Application Data\aim\
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Q: Can I see which users have blocked me?
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No.
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Q: Can I see which users have added my screen name to their Buddy List?
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No.
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Q: When I add or delete buddies from a particular group, the change is not saved when I sign on the next time.
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It's possible that the group itself has become damaged. The only solution in some cases is to delete the group and create a new one. If the group is large, you may wish to use the Save Buddy List menu item to backup your Buddy List before deleting the group.
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Q: What is a Mobile Device Icon?
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A Mobile Device Icon in the shape of a cell phone now appears next to your screen name and in the Instant Messaging window when you are connected to AIM with a mobile device such as a Mobile Communicator, pager or cellular phone.
With the Mobile Device Icon, your friends will know that you are viewing and writing messages using the more limited capabilities of a mobile device. This helps to set the expectation that your messages may take longer to type, be shorter in length, etc...
If you do not want a Mobile Device Icon to appear when you are messaging from a mobile device, you can modify this preference.
From AOL 7.0
1 Click Settings, Preferences, Privacy
2 Click the Buddy List tab
3 Deselect the option "Allow other members to see I am using a mobile device".
From AIM (version 4.8.2646 or higher)
1 On the MyAIM menu, point to Edit Options, and then click Edit Preferences.
2 Click Privacy in the Category group.
3 Deselect the option "Allow other users to see that I am using a mobile device"
4 Click OK to save your change and close the dialog box.
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