More Features of Yahoo Mail
Moving beyond the e-mail basics, let's take a look at more features of Yahoo Mail, such as e-mail attachments, message archiving and searches and remote access to Yahoo Mail. We'll also see why some Yahoo users may prefer to stick with the older version, Mail Classic, although it lacks some Yahoo Mail features.
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Users of Yahoo Mail can reach their mailboxes from the main Yahoo page.
You'll probably want to search at some point for information like an address, a document or a name you need. Here's how.
You can access Yahoo Mail by going to http://mail.yahoo.com and signing on from any PC running Windows 2000 or later that has Web access via Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher, Firefox 1.0 and newer, or Mozilla Suite 1.7. With a Mac running Mac OSX 10.0 or newer, you need Web access via Firefox 1.0 or newer, or Mozilla Suite 1.7. (We'll talk about mobile access later.)
Yahoo Mail vs. Yahoo Classic
Not all features of Yahoo Mail are available for some browsers or for Macintosh computers. You can switch back to Mail Classic at any time by hitting the "Switch Back" link at the upper left of your home page.
Yahoo Mail offers plenty of tools to make e-mailing easier. Next, let's take a closer look at some of them.
© Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Users of Yahoo Mail can reach their mailboxes from the main Yahoo page.
Managing Attachments
Attachments are documents or images that you send with a message. You can attach up to 10MB (megabytes) of files to each message. These can be word-processing or spreadsheet documents, audio files, images and Web pages as HTML files. Here's how to add an attachment:- Click "Attach" next to the paperclip above the Compose window.
- Using the file-locating window, find the file you want to attach and click "Open" or "OK."
- The file name will appear above the Compose window. To add more attachments, repeat this process. Yahoo Mail scans each outgoing attachment for viruses.
- Switch to "Full Message View" to see the name, type and size of the attached file.
- Click on the name of the file, and a virus scan will check the document. A window will open telling you if a threat was detected in the document.
- Click "Cancel" if you don't want to open the attachment or "Download Attachment" if you do.
- Another window will let you choose to save the file to your computer's hard drive, to just open and view it, or to cancel.
Message Archiving and Searches
Yahoo Mail allows you to set up folders to store and manage your messages. Several folders exist automatically at the left of the home screen -- Inbox, Drafts, Sent, Spam, Trash, Contacts and All Feeds. Below that is a section for the folders you create. To create a folder, click on "Add" next to the My Folders icon. A new untitled folder will appear below. Click twice on "untitled" to open a box where you can rename the folder. To add messages to the folder, drop and drag them from your inbox or other folders.You'll probably want to search at some point for information like an address, a document or a name you need. Here's how.
- Find the search window, upper left with a magnifying glass icon and the words "Find Messages."
- Type what you need to find -- a name, a word in a message or attachment, or a subject.
- Click "Go," or press "Enter."
- A tab will open listing all the messages that contain what you want, including in attachments.
- Click on the message you want to open.
You can access Yahoo Mail by going to http://mail.yahoo.com and signing on from any PC running Windows 2000 or later that has Web access via Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher, Firefox 1.0 and newer, or Mozilla Suite 1.7. With a Mac running Mac OSX 10.0 or newer, you need Web access via Firefox 1.0 or newer, or Mozilla Suite 1.7. (We'll talk about mobile access later.)
Yahoo Mail vs. Yahoo Classic
Not all features of Yahoo Mail are available for some browsers or for Macintosh computers. You can switch back to Mail Classic at any time by hitting the "Switch Back" link at the upper left of your home page.
Yahoo Mail offers plenty of tools to make e-mailing easier. Next, let's take a closer look at some of them.
Convenient Tools for Yahoo Mail
Convenient tools for Yahoo Mail like keyboard shortcuts can save time and make this e-mail system easier to use. Yahoo Contacts update contact information quickly, and spam screening and mail filters help with security. Other Yahoo Mail tools let you add a personalized signature to messages or send a vacation response when you're away.
Keyboard Shortcuts
With keyboard shortcuts, you can do what you want more quickly. To create a new message, for instance, press the "n" key. To print, press "p." For a list of keyboard shortcuts, go to Yahoo Help.
Yahoo Contacts
Yahoo Contacts work like an address book http://cms.howstuffworks.com/images/skins/hsw/button_savechanges.png Save Changeswith more functions. You can store all of your contact information about people and companies -- and access it anywhere via the Web or print it out. You can also access that information to send single or group e-mails or to add to contacts from e-mails.
Image courtesy of Yahoo
Signing into your Yahoo Mail account lets you access other Yahoo services including Yahoo Messenger. To add contacts and their information, click on "Add" next to the Contacts icon. Enter the information, and click "Save." To add information later, click twice on the contact's name or click "Edit." Once you've added a name, you can use Address AutoComplete in sending messages. When you're composing a message, type just the first couple of letters of the person's name after "To:" to access possible names. Click the one you want, and the correct address will be filled in.
To add a contact from e-mail, click "Add Contact" next to the sender's name in an open e-mail message. A window will show the person's name and e-mail address. Add whatever information you want, click "Save" and the person is added to your contacts.
Spam and Security
Yahoo Mail defines spam as any message sent to more than one person who didn't specifically request it. Usually spam advertises unwanted goods or services. Yahoo Mail automatically places questionable incoming e-mails in your Spam folder. Some of these may be legitimate but not from a recognized contact. You can review the folder to make sure none of the e-mails are ones you want. If they are, you can move them to your Inbox or other folders. If they're not, you can delete them or wait for them to be deleted automatically.
You also can use mail filters to block images or specific addresses. To do either, go to "Options," then "Mail Options" and then the Spam option. You can choose to show images except in the Spam folder, show only those from contacts and certified senders, or block all images. You can block an individual address or all from a specific domain.
For either option, start by clicking "Options" at the upper right of the home page and then selecting "Mail Options." You'll see a menu to the left.
Keyboard Shortcuts
With keyboard shortcuts, you can do what you want more quickly. To create a new message, for instance, press the "n" key. To print, press "p." For a list of keyboard shortcuts, go to Yahoo Help.
Yahoo Contacts
Yahoo Contacts work like an address book http://cms.howstuffworks.com/images/skins/hsw/button_savechanges.png Save Changeswith more functions. You can store all of your contact information about people and companies -- and access it anywhere via the Web or print it out. You can also access that information to send single or group e-mails or to add to contacts from e-mails.
Image courtesy of Yahoo
Signing into your Yahoo Mail account lets you access other Yahoo services including Yahoo Messenger.
To add a contact from e-mail, click "Add Contact" next to the sender's name in an open e-mail message. A window will show the person's name and e-mail address. Add whatever information you want, click "Save" and the person is added to your contacts.
Spam and Security
Yahoo Mail defines spam as any message sent to more than one person who didn't specifically request it. Usually spam advertises unwanted goods or services. Yahoo Mail automatically places questionable incoming e-mails in your Spam folder. Some of these may be legitimate but not from a recognized contact. You can review the folder to make sure none of the e-mails are ones you want. If they are, you can move them to your Inbox or other folders. If they're not, you can delete them or wait for them to be deleted automatically.
You also can use mail filters to block images or specific addresses. To do either, go to "Options," then "Mail Options" and then the Spam option. You can choose to show images except in the Spam folder, show only those from contacts and certified senders, or block all images. You can block an individual address or all from a specific domain.
Personalized Signature and Vacation Response
Mail options let you personalize your messages. With this option, you can create a signature with a saying or contact information to appear at the bottom of each message you send. You also can send a vacation response automatically to anyone who e-mails you while you're away.For either option, start by clicking "Options" at the upper right of the home page and then selecting "Mail Options." You'll see a menu to the left.
- Click on "Signature" to open a space where you can write your signature for outgoing messages. Type it in, and click "Save Changes."
- Click on "Vacation Response" for auto-response while you're gone. Check "Enable auto-response," and select the start and stop dates for the service. Type your message in the box, and click "Save Changes."
New Innovations for Yahoo Mail
Innovations for Yahoo Mail take you beyond e-mail. You can choose how you want to communicate a message -- by e-mail, chat or text message -- or have mobile access to messages, your contact list and other folders. You can use RSS feeds to receive content from Web sites with constantly changing information. Let's take a closer look at these Yahoo Mail innovations.
Your chat status is shown in the header to your mail page. Change your status to "Available," and you'll see which of your contacts are also available online. They'll have an orange circle in front of their names on your contact list. To chat with someone, click on his name, and a chat window will open.
Text messaging lets you talk to Yahoo contacts on their mobile devices. To send a text message, choose "Text Message (SMS)" from the "New" menu. A message window will open where you can type the person's name or mobile number and a message of up to 158 characters. Then click "Enter" or "Send." Their response will appear in the same area.
Mobile Access
With Yahoo Mail for Mobile, you can send and receive e-mail, as well as access your e-mail messages, attachments and contact list. You also can be notified instantly when a new e-mail message arrives. For more about mobile services, go to http://mobile.yahoo.com/mail.
RSS Feeds
RSS technology lets you subscribe to content from Web sites -- such as news, weather, sports or stock reports -- through RSS feeds. The content comes automatically as a series of article summaries.
You'll see an "All RSS" folder at the left of your mail page. Click this to see the list of feeds to which you're subscribed. Some came automatically with Yahoo Mail. Click on a feed to see its summaries in the window to the right. You can click on any summary to read the full article. An orange icon next to the feed indicates that you have new, unread information in the feed.
To add a feed, you can click the "Add" link next to All Feeds and then click the "Add" button next to one of the RSS feeds on the list. Or you can search for feeds and add them, using the search feature in "Add Content." Click a feed's "Add" button to add it to your list. To unsubscribe, select a feed on the list and click "Remove."
There's plenty more to Yahoo Mail -- and Yahoo continues to add features as new technology evolves. For more than we've provided here, the Yahoo Mail Help section offers tutorials, answers to frequently asked questions and other advice to make Yahoo Mail easier to use. For lots more information about Yahoo Mail and related topics,.
Chat and Text Messaging
When you send an e-mail, you have to wait for the person to receive it, read it and respond. Chat lets you exchange messages in real time for instant response. If you see a friend is online, for example, you can convert an e-mail message to chat and get an immediate answer. Your contact will need to have a Yahoo ID or Windows Live Messenger ID and be signed into Yahoo Mail, Yahoo Messenger or a compatible instant-messaging program.
Text messaging lets you talk to Yahoo contacts on their mobile devices. To send a text message, choose "Text Message (SMS)" from the "New" menu. A message window will open where you can type the person's name or mobile number and a message of up to 158 characters. Then click "Enter" or "Send." Their response will appear in the same area.
Mobile Access
With Yahoo Mail for Mobile, you can send and receive e-mail, as well as access your e-mail messages, attachments and contact list. You also can be notified instantly when a new e-mail message arrives. For more about mobile services, go to http://mobile.yahoo.com/mail.
RSS Feeds
RSS technology lets you subscribe to content from Web sites -- such as news, weather, sports or stock reports -- through RSS feeds. The content comes automatically as a series of article summaries.
You'll see an "All RSS" folder at the left of your mail page. Click this to see the list of feeds to which you're subscribed. Some came automatically with Yahoo Mail. Click on a feed to see its summaries in the window to the right. You can click on any summary to read the full article. An orange icon next to the feed indicates that you have new, unread information in the feed.
To add a feed, you can click the "Add" link next to All Feeds and then click the "Add" button next to one of the RSS feeds on the list. Or you can search for feeds and add them, using the search feature in "Add Content." Click a feed's "Add" button to add it to your list. To unsubscribe, select a feed on the list and click "Remove."
There's plenty more to Yahoo Mail -- and Yahoo continues to add features as new technology evolves. For more than we've provided here, the Yahoo Mail Help section offers tutorials, answers to frequently asked questions and other advice to make Yahoo Mail easier to use. For lots more information about Yahoo Mail and related topics,.
