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Vista Tutorial - Windows Live Messenger Sound

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Windows Live Messenger Sound

How to Change Windows Live Messenger Sounds in Vista
Published by Brink
06-07-2007

How to Change Windows Live Messenger Sounds in Vista
Information
  This will show you how to change the Windows Live Messenger sound events to what you want them to be instead of the default sounds. You will also see how to backup the old sound events in case you want to restore them later.
WARNING
  Make sure Windows Live Messenger is turned off before during this.
RELATED LINKS:



METHOD ONE:
For Windows Live Messenger 8.5
NOTE
  This is for the WLM version 8.5 and older
1. Open Windows Live Messenger.

2. Click on the menu icon and click on Tools and Options. (See screenshot below)
messenger.jpg
3. In the left pane, click on Alerts and Sounds. (See screenshot below step 7)

4. To Enable or Disable an Alert -
A) Under the Alerts section (top right pane), check or uncheck the Alerts you want or do not want. (See screenshot below step 7)
5. To Enable or Disable a Sound Event -
A) Under the Sounds section (bottom right pane), check or uncheck the sound event. (See screenshot below step 7)
6. To Change a Sound Event -
A) Click on a listed sound event to highlight it. (See screenshot below step 7)

B) Click on the Browse button.

C) Navigate to your new .wav, .wma, or .mp3 sound file that you want to use.

D) Select the new sound file and click Open.

E) Repeat for any other sound event you want to change.
7. When done, click on OK.
options.jpg



METHOD TWO:
For Windows Live Messenger 14.0+
1. Open Windows Live Messenger.

2. Click on the menu icon and click on Tools and Options. (See screenshot below step 2 in METHOD ONE)
NOTE: You can also click on the drop down menu on your name and than on Options.

3. To Enable or Disable an Alert -
A) In the left pane, click on Alerts. (See screenshot below)

B) Check or uncheck the Alerts you want or do not want.
wlm_beta_alerts.jpg
4. To Enable or Disable a Sound Event -
A) In the left pane, click on Sounds. (See screenshot below step 7)

B) Click on the Sound event to expand it, and dot or undot Don't play a sound. (See screenshot below step 7)

C) Go to step 7.
5. To Change a Sound Event -
A) In the left pane, click on Sounds. (See screenshot below step 7)

B) Click on the Sound event to expand it.

C) Dot the sound file you want to play for this sound event, and go to step 7.
NOTE: This is if you want a sound file already listed under the expanded sound event.

OR

D) Click on the Add a new sound button.
NOTE: This is if you want to add a new sound file that is not already listed under the expanded sound event.

E) Navigate to your new .wav, .wma, or .mp3 sound file that you want to use.

F) Select the new sound file and click on Done.

G) Dot the sound file you just added to select it.

7. When done, click on OK.
messenger_beta.jpg
That's it,
Shawn

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Tutorial Tools

Applies to
All Vista Versions
64 Bit & 32 Bit

Old 07-27-2008  
soldierswife
Newbie


Join Date: Jul 2008
Vista Home Premium x64
 
 

Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

I canno get this to work. I have followed the directions and it just continues to play the default sound even if my .wma file is the file. Can someone help me with what I may be doing wrong?

My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 07-27-2008  
Brink
Administrator


Join Date: Apr 2007
Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64
 
 

Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

Hello Soldierswife, and welcome to Vista Forum's.

Did you check to make sure that all of the WMA files were unblocked before you moved them into the C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Messenger location with the same name as the ones you are replacing?

Double check for a typo in the file name.

Hope this helps,
Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 07-27-2008  
soldierswife
Newbie


Join Date: Jul 2008
Vista Home Premium x64
 
 

Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

It did not give me that option; however I did discover that if I went into the Tools-Options-Alerts and Sounds profiles on my Windows Live and clicked on the checked item that I wanted to change then went to Browse it allowed me to change it ( I think-haven't tested it yet).
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 12-07-2008  
johnstod
Newbie


Join Date: Dec 2008
vista home basic 32bit
 
 

Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

if you click on name, options, sounds, then you can edit them from there
thanks for this post
tested and works
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 12-07-2008  
Brink
Administrator


Join Date: Apr 2007
Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64
 
 

Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

You're welcome John, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Thank you for the addition.

Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-22-2009  
WonderWabbit
Member


Join Date: Feb 2009
Both Windows XP Hime Desktop & Vista Home Laptop
 
 

Angry Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

Great,

only, shame these sound files only have a play time of up to 15 seconds?!

Unlike MSN Messenger, WLMessenger has a playing restriction on its wave file attachments.
Sure, i can opt for choosing my own Messenger sounds as shown in the how-to above,
but there is no where there is an option to extend the sound-file play-time.

Why was this restriction introduced?
Why provide the facility to amend your Messenger Sound alerts, but then only allow a few seconds for them to play?

Stephen
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-22-2009  
Brink
Administrator


Join Date: Apr 2007
Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64
 
 

Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

Hello Stephen, and welcome to Vista Forums.

That would be a good question to send to the Windows Live Messenger team.

Shawn
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-23-2009  
WonderWabbit
Member


Join Date: Feb 2009
Both Windows XP Hime Desktop & Vista Home Laptop
 
 

Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

Cheers Shawn

Already posted..... still wtg on a reply
My System SpecsSystem Spec
Old 02-23-2009  
Brink
Administrator


Join Date: Apr 2007
Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64
 
 

Re: Windows Live Messenger Sound

I hope you get one from them soon. It would be nice to not have that limitation.
My System SpecsSystem Spec
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