Yahoo Messenger

This instant messaging application is new and isn’t new at the same time. You see, Yahoo Messenger has been around since 1998-1999. Back in the late 90s, Yahoo introduced an IM client called Yahoo Messenger. That client, which I will refer to as the legacy Yahoo Messenger from now on, reached end-of-life on August 5, 2016.

To replace the legacy Yahoo Messenger, Yahoo introduced another IM client: the new Yahoo Messenger. In December 2015, the new Yahoo Messenger was released globally for multiple platforms: the web, iOS, Android, and Yahoo Mail. And in July 2016, the new Yahoo Messenger was released for desktops: Windows and Mac.

Installing the new Yahoo Messenger on a Windows-powered PC is a breeze. Download and installer, run it, and you’ll be done in a blink. Obviously, since this is an instant messaging app, installing it isn’t enough. You’ll also have to sign into the application. If you already have a Yahoo account, use it to sign in. If you don’t, you can easily sign up for one.

The new Yahoo Messenger has the same core functionality as the legacy Yahoo Messenger: manage a list of contacts, chat and group chat with any of your contacts, send files to your contacts. This being the new Yahoo Messenger, it comes with some extra bits of functionality that the legacy Messenger did not have: easily share lots of high-resolution photos, like a message or photo, unsend messages, preview and send GIF animations.

The new Yahoo Messenger, just like the legacy Messenger, is free. But unlike the legacy Messenger, the new Yahoo Messenger does not display ads on its interface.

Out with the old, in with the new. The old Yahoo Messenger is gone, replaced with a new Yahoo Messenger that comes with a fresh design, the option to unsend messages, support for GIFs, and more.