You can share files with your contacts (Your contacts are the people that you've set up to communicate with using instant messaging.) by using the Sharing Folders feature, or you can transfer one file at a time. Sharing Folders allows you to share the same files with more than one contact and update the content automatically. To share or transfer files, both you and your contact must have Windows XP or Windows Vista and Windows Live Messenger 8.0 or 8.1 installed.
Select the Use a sharing folder when I drag a file onto a contact's name in my contact list check box.
Select the When I drag a file onto a contact's name, automatically create a sharing folder if that contact doesn't already have one check box to have Messenger perform this function automatically, and then click OK.
Once you have set up Sharing Folders, you can drag the file from your file folder onto the contact in the main Messenger window.
— or —
Drag the file from your file folder onto the message area of the conversation window.
Select Sharing Folders in the main Messenger window to add files, pause sharing, or view the Activity Log of files you have shared.
On the Actions menu, click Send other, and then click Send a single file.
Select the contact you want to send the file to, and then click OK.
Select the file you want to send, and then click Open.
Warning
If your contact deletes a shared file, your local copy will be permanently deleted. However, if you delete a shared file, you can still recover it from the recycle bin. If you want to keep a file, copy it to a nonsharing folder.
Notes
Windows Live OneCare safety scanner is the only virus scanner that can be used to scan sharing folders. If you install Windows Live OneCare safety scanner, it will scan your sharing folders.
If you install third party virus scan software, it will be used to scan files for transfer.
You cannot have a multi-party sharing folder. Each contact that you share with will have one associated sharing folder.
Messenger can sync (To synchronize. To compare, merge, and reconcile the differences between copies of a file stored in two different devices or directories.) files with a contact only if you and your contact are both online at the same time.
If you're using Messenger on a local area network with a firewall (A security feature designed to help protect a computer from unauthorized external access. It can be hardware, software, or both.) (on a corporate network, for example), you may not be able to use Messenger to send files to contacts outside the firewall.
Some features may not be available in your country or region, or may be temporarily unavailable for all regions.
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Share a file with a contact
in the main Messenger window to add files, pause sharing, or view the Activity Log of files you have shared.
