Registering
for the AIM service
You must register for the AIM service before you begin using
the service. During registration, you select a screen name and
password, each of which may contain 3 to 16 characters (numbers
and letters).
About
screen names and passwords
Changing your AIM password does not change your AOL® password,
even if your AIM screen name is the same as your AOL screen name.
If you use
your wireless phone to change your AIM password, the new password
will work only with the AIM service for wireless phones and with
the AIM Express service on the Internet. You'll still have to
change the password in the AIM program on your desktop computer.
Likewise, if you change your AIM password from your computer,
you must also change the password on your phone before attempting
to sign on with your new password.
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Using
your existing screen name and password
If you have a screen name that you use with AOL, CompuServe®
2000, AIM Express, or Netscape®, you can also use it as your
screen name for AIM wireless services.
AOL
subscribers: Before you use the AIM service with your AOL
screen name, you must first register your AOL screen name with
the AIM service. Click
here to register.
Hints
for creating new screen names to use with the AIM wireless services
Typing on a phone keypad can be difficult, so make your
screen name easy to type.
- The
AIM Service using the Wireless Web is "space friendly,"
so you can use screen names that contain spaces, such as "Space
Cadet" or "i scream dog." You can enter
symbols and numbers by changing from alphabetic, or multi-tap,
mode to symbols or numbers mode.
- The
AIM Service Using Text Messaging is not space-friendly. Don't
use spaces in your screen names.
If your
phone includes T9® Text Input, you may be able to save your
screen name in the T9 user dictionary or database. Click here
to learn more about Typing Messages.
Registration
tips
Consider
the following tips when registering for the AIM service:
- Double-check
your e-mail address. If you enter it incorrectly, your confirmation
e-mail will not reach you, and you will not be able to use the
AIM service.
- If you
are an America Online member, be sure that you enter the zip
code listed in your America Online account information.
- Verify
your password by typing it twice.
If
the screen name you want is taken
Try variations of that screen name, or select another one. You
can use up to 16 letters, numbers, and spaces for your screen
name. If you're using the AIM Service Using Text Messaging,
your screen name can't contain spaces.
Confirming
your registration
After you register your screen name and password, the AIM service
sends you an e-mail message, asking you to confirm your registration
within 48 hours. To confirm your registration, you will be asked
to send an e-mail containing only the word OK in the
body of your message.
If you don't
respond within 48 hours, you may have to re-register. As a security
precaution, you will not be able to obtain or change your password
or update your e-mail address until you confirm your registration.
Upon confirmation you will receive a Welcome message with links
to FAQs and other helpful information.
Changing
your screen name
If you don't like your screen name, you can edit how it is formatted—changing,
for example, "im online" to "IM Online"—or
you can register a new screen name. If you register a new one,
type your new screen name and password in the proper fields
when signing on to the AIM service.
Deleting
old screen names
It's currently not possible to delete old AIM screen names.
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If
you forget your password
If you enter an invalid password while signing on to the AIM
service from your desktop computer, an error message displays
asking if you forgot your password. In the error message window,
click Forgot Password. After your browser opens to the
Forgot Password Web Site, enter your screen name and click Submit.
Your password
will be sent to the e-mail address on record for your screen
name. If you have changed your e-mail address and did not notify
the AIM service, your password will be sent to your old address.
Your password can be sent only to the address on record. If
you're unable to access e-mail at that address, you'll have
to register a new screen name by selecting New User on the Sign
On screen, and then clicking Sign On.
If you have
an AOL account and your AIM screen name is the same as your
AOL screen name, you can go to Keyword: AIM Password
for assistance.
Resetting
your password
Your password can't be reset. If you've forgotten your password,
it can be e-mailed to the address on record. If you are still
unable to remember your password, you'll have to register a
new screen name.
Changing
your password
You can change your password while you're signed on to the AIM
service. In addition, AIM users who are also AOL users can change
their AIM passwords through the AOL service by going to Keyword:
AIM Password.
If
your password doesn't work
There are several reasons why your password might not work:
- The password
you entered isn't capitalized correctly. AIM passwords are
case-sensitive, so if your password is "Password,"
entering "password" (note the lowercase "p")
won't work.
- (For
AOL subscribers only) You've recently changed your AOL password
and are trying to use your new password with the AIM service.
Even if your AOL screen name is also your AIM screen name,
changing the password for one doesn't affect the other.
You can
have your password sent to your e-mail address by submitting
your screen name at the following Web page: http://www.aol.com/aim/password.adp.
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