Chapter 3

Using Messenger

This chapter describes how to use Netscape Messenger to send, receive, and work with electronic mail (email) messages. See Chapter 4, "Using Collabra," for information about working with newsgroups and discussion groups.

Getting started (Windows)

Before you can use Messenger to send and receive email for the first time, Communicator asks you for some information so it can set up your mail and discussion group preferences.

 To get started receiving and sending electronic messages:

  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Messenger Mailbox.

  2. If this is the first time you are starting Messenger, follow the instructions in the Mail and Discussion Wizard to set up mail and discussion group preferences. If you don't know the settings for your preferences, ask your system administrator or Internet Service Provider.

  3. To receive new mail, click Get Msg on the mailbox window toolbar. 
Tip To start Messenger and automatically get new messages, click the mailbox button in the component bar. If you're connected to a POP3 server, you can open your Inbox without receiving new messages by choosing Messenger Mailbox from the Communicator menu.
Note If you need to change your mail and discussion group preferences later, choose Preferences from Messenger's Edit menu.

Getting started (Macintosh)

Before you can use Messenger to send and receive email for the first time, Communicator asks you for some information so it can set up your mail and discussion group preferences.

 Follow these steps to get started receiving and sending electronic messages:

  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Messenger Inbox.

  2. If this is the first time you are starting Messenger, enter the requested information for your mail server preferences. If you don't know the settings for your preferences, ask your system administrator or Internet Service Provider.

  3. Click OK.

  4. Start Messenger again.

  5. To receive new mail, click Get Msg in Messenger's toolbar. 
Tip To start Messenger and automatically get new messages, click the mailbox button in the component bar. To open your Inbox without receiving new messages, choose Messenger Inbox from the Communicator menu.
Note If you need to change your mail server preferences later, choose Preferences from Messenger's Edit menu.

About the message list window

You work with messages in a message list window. You can retrieve new messages, read messages, reply to or forward a message, and perform other operations in the message list window.

Retrieving new messages

Communicator puts new messages in your Inbox, unless you have created a filter to automatically file new messages in other folders. See "Filtering incoming messages" for more information.
Tip If you use a modem to connect to your Internet Service Provider, you can reduce your connect-time charges by disconnecting from your service provider after you retrieve your new messages. See "Minimizing online charges (Windows and Macintosh only)" in Chapter 1, "Welcome to Netscape Communicator," for more information.

Identifying new and unread messages

In the message list window, Messenger uses icons to distinguish between unread and new messages. An unread message is one that you haven't read. A new message is an unread message received since you last retrieved messages.

Reading a message

  1. To read the contents of a message, click a message header in the message list.

    2.  
    If you don't see the message contents, click the triangle at the bottom of the message list to display the message contents.

    Alternatively, to open the message in a separate window, double-click the message header.

  2. To read the next unread message, click Next in the toolbar. 
    3. Tip Pressing the spacebar scrolls the current message, one screenful at a time. If you are at the end of the current message, pressing the spacebar takes you to the next unread message.

Viewing an attachment

An attachment is any file that's included with a message. Attachments appear at the bottom of the message.
Tip Click the paper clip icon to the right of the message's header to show or hide the list of attachments at the bottom of the message.
You can include your own attachments when you send a message. See "Attaching a file to a message" for more information.

Why can't Messenger display or print the attachment?

If the attachment is a file type that Messenger does not recognize, the attachment still appears as a link even if you choose to view attachments inline. 

Click the attachment's link to display a dialog box that lets you choose another application that can display the attachment. Alternatively, you can save the attachment on your hard disk to view it or print it later using another application. 

You can use plug-ins to extend Messenger's capabilities so that you can display or print attachments. See "What are plug-ins?" in Chapter 2, "Using Navigator," for more information. 

Saving a message attachment

You can save an attachment on your hard disk if you want to work with it as a separate file or view it later using another application. For example, if someone sends you an attachment that's a report that they created in a word processing program, you can save the report and then open it in your word processing program so that you can view it or edit it.
  1. Read the message containing the attachment you want to save.

  2. Click the paper clip icon to the right of the message header to display the attachment's icon at the bottom of the message.

  3. To display the attachment, double-click the attachment's icon.

  4. From the File menu, choose Save As.

  5. Type a name for the file.

  6. Click Save.

About the message composition window

When you create a new message, or when you reply to or forward an existing message, Messenger displays a message composition window so you can type the text of your message.

Replying to a message

  1. Read the message you want to reply to.

  2. Click Reply. If your Mail & Groups preferences are set so that Messenger quotes the original message when replying, the text of the original message appears above the insertion point in the message composition window. To change this setting, choose Preferences from the Edit menu, click Mail & Groups, then click Messages. Your change affects future replies.

  3. Choose Reply to Sender if you want to reply only to the person who sent you the message. Choose Reply to All if you want to reply to the person who sent you the message and also send a carbon copy (cc:) of your reply to everyone else that received the original message.

  4. In the composition window, check the address area to make sure that the message is addressed the way you want. Messenger automatically addresses your reply to the recipients listed in the Reply-To header of the original message.

  5. Type your reply in the message composition area.

  6. Click Send.

Forwarding a message

  1. Select the message you want to forward.

  2. Click Forward.

  3. Type the address of the person or mailing list you want to send the message to, or click Address in the toolbar.

  4. Click in the message area and type any remarks you want to include with the forwarded message.

  5. Click Send.

Searching for a message

You can search for a specific message in your Inbox, in all mail folders, or in newsgroups or discussion groups.
  1. From the Edit menu, choose Search Messages.

  2. Choose the folder or discussion group you want to search. Choose Local Mail to search all your mail folders. Choose a discussion server to search your subscribed list of discussion groups.

  3. Choose the part of the message that you want to search.

  4. Choose a search condition, for example, contains or doesn't contain, that you want to use.

  5. Type a word or phrase that you want to search for.

  6. To enter additional information to help narrow the search, click More.

  7. Enter the additional information.

  8. Click Search to begin searching. If Messenger finds any matching messages, it displays the message headers at the bottom of the Search dialog box. Double-click a message header to display the message.

Deleting a message

  1. Select the header of the message you want to delete. To select additional messages, hold down the Shift key and click additional messages.

  2. Click Delete in Messenger's toolbar.

    3. (POP3 servers) Messenger moves deleted messages to the Trash folder, where they remain until you empty the Trash. See "Emptying the Trash" for more information.

    (IMAP servers) Messenger either moves deleted messages to the Trash folder or marks them for deletion. See "About deleted messages" for more information.
     

  3. (IMAP servers only) If a message is marked for deletion, you can unmark it by selecting the message and clicking Delete in Messenger's toolbar.

    4. About deleted messages

    What happens to deleted messages depends on whether you're connected to a POP3 (Post Office Protocol) or IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) server.

    To check the type of mail server you're connected to:
     

    1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences.

      2.  
    2. Click the Mail & Groups category.

      3.  
    3. Click the Mail Server subcategory.

      4.  
    4. Look under Mail Server Type to see the type of mail server (POP3 or IMAP) you're connected to.

      5.  
    5. If you're connected to a POP3 server, Messenger moves deleted messages to the Trash folder, where they remain until you empty the Trash. See "Emptying the Trash" for more information.
        6.  
      If you're connected to to an IMAP server, Messenger either marks the messages for deletion or moves them to the Trash folder. See "Setting the preference for deleted messages (IMAP servers only)" below.

    Setting the preference for deleted messages (IMAP servers only)

    1. Choose Preferences from the File menu, click Mail & Groups, and then click the Mail Server subcategory.

      2.  
    2. Under IMAP, check the box next to  "Move deleted messages into Trash."

      3. If this option is not checked (the default), messages you delete are marked for deletion, and remain in your mail folder until you choose Compress Folders from the File menu. See "Removing messages marked for deletion (IMAP servers only)" for more information.

      Note  It is recommended that you check the box so that Messenger moves deleted messages into the Trash folder.
       

    3. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box and confirm your changes.

Bookmarking a message

You can create a bookmark for an email or discussion group message. These bookmarks appear in the Bookmarks menu just like web page bookmarks and make it easy to go to a message.
  1. Read the message you want to create a bookmark for.

  2. (Windows) From the Communicator menu, choose Bookmarks, and then choose Add Bookmark. (Macintosh) From the Bookmarks menu, choose Add Bookmark.
Messenger adds the bookmark to the bottom of the Bookmarks menu.

Arranging your message list columns

You can easily rearrange the order of columns in a message list window.

Hiding columns

You can increase and decrease the number of columns visible in a message list window. For example, if you only want to see the Sender, Subject, and Date columns, arrange the order of columns to begin with those three, and then hide all the additional columns until you can see only your chosen columns.

Resizing columns

You can resize a column to see more or less of the text contained in the column and to make more room for the other columns.
  1. Position the mouse pointer over the right border of a column so that the pointer changes to a double arrow.

  2. Drag the border left or right to resize the column.

Resizing the message area

Sorting your messages

  1. Click one of the columns above the message headers to reorder your messages by that column.

  2. Click the column again if you want to reverse the sort order.

Viewing your messages by subject

You can switch to a threaded view of your messages so that all messages that have the same subject are listed together.
  1. To switch to a subject threaded view, click the small horizontal bars at the top left corner of the message list window.

  2. To reorder your messages using another column heading, click another column title.

Printing a message

  1. Select the message that you want to print.

  2. Click Print in Messenger's toolbar.

  3. Choose the print options you want.

  4. (Windows) Click OK. (Macintosh and Unix) Click Print.
Note If the message includes an attachment, Messenger prints the contents of the attachment below the message body. If the attachment is a file format that Messenger does not recognize, it does not print the attachment. See "Why can't Messenger display or print the attachment?" for more information.

Emptying the Trash

The Trash folder contains messages you've deleted. Messenger keeps deleted messages in the Trash folder in case you change your mind and want to retrieve them. Messages remain in the Trash folder until you empty the Trash.

 You must periodically empty the Trash folder to keep it from growing too large and taking up too much space.

 Warning You cannot recover messages from the Trash once you empty the Trash.

Retrieving a message from the Trash folder

You can retrieve a message from the Trash folder by moving the message into another folder before you empty the Trash folder. See "Moving messages to another folder" for more information.

Removing messages marked for deletion (IMAP servers only)

You can periodically remove messages marked for deletion by compressing your mail folders.

Warning  You cannot recover messages marked for deletion after you choose the Compress Folders command. To prevent a marked message from being deleted, select it and click Delete in Messenger's toolbar to unmark it before you choose the Compress Folders command.

Filtering incoming messages

You can set up a mail filter that tells Messenger what to do with incoming messages. For example, you could store all incoming messages that have the word "gardening" in the message's subject in your "Gardening" folder. Or, you assign all messages coming from your boss the highest priority. For each action you want performed, you must set up a separate filter. For example, to perform the actions described above, you would create separate filters called "Move to Gardening" and "Boss."

Creating a message filter

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Mail Filters.

  2. (Windows and Macintosh) Click New. (Unix) Click New Filter.

  3. Type a name for the filter.

  4. Choose the conditions that you want to check for in new messages.

  5. (Macintosh only) If necessary, click Filter Action to expand the dialog box.

  6. Choose the action that you want the filter to perform on new messages.

  7. (Windows and Unix) Click OK to close the Filter Rules dialog box. (Macintosh) Click the close box to close the Mail Filters dialog box.

  8. (Windows and Unix) Click OK to close the Mail Filters dialog box.
Messenger applies the filter to all subsequent incoming messages.

Deactivating a filter

You can deactivate a filter if you want to temporarily prevent it from applying to incoming messages.
  1. From the Edit menu, choose Mail Filters.

  2. Click the checkmark to the right of the filter name to deactivate it. Inactive filters have a dot instead of a checkmark to the right of their names. To reactivate a filter, click the dot to restore the checkmark.

  3. (Windows and Unix) Click OK. (Macintosh) Click the close box.

Composing messages

You can create messages in HTML (formatted) text or plain text. Messenger sends a plain text version along with all HTML messages, ensuring that the recipient will be able to read the message whether or not they are using an email program that knows how to display HTML-formatted text.

Creating a message

  1. Click New Msg in Messenger's toolbar.

  2. Type the address of the first recipient and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh and Unix). See "Addressing a message" for more information.

  3. Type the address of the next recipient and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh and Unix).

  4. For each recipient, choose an addressing option:
  5. Press Tab.

  6. Type the subject of the message.

  7. Press Tab.

  8. Type the text of the message. See Chapter 5, "Using Composer," for information on the text formatting and other options you can use in the message composition window.

Addressing a message

You enter addresses by typing them in the address area of the message composition window or by choosing them from your Address book.

An address can be:

If you don't know a recipient's address, you can search for it using a directory service. See "Finding someone's email address" for more information. See "Keeping a personal address book" for information on creating and maintaining a personal list of email addresses.

 See "Selecting recipients for a new message (Windows and Unix)" or "Selecting recipients for a new message (Macintosh)" for information on using your Address Book to select recipients.

What's an email address?

A simple email address is username@servername.domain where: Here are some common domains and their organizational affiliations: Email addresses from outside the United States often include an additional two-letter suffix to designate a country, for example, robin@webmonkey.com.uk. Some examples of country suffixes are:

Finding someone's email address

If you don't know someone's email address, you can use a directory service such as Four11 or Bigfoot to find it.
  1. From the Edit menu, choose Search Directory.

  2. Choose the directory service you want to use.

  3. Choose name.

  4. Choose is.

  5. Type the person's name.

  6. Click Search.
If you don't find what you're looking for, try searching again using different search options or another directory service.
Tip You can also go to Navigator, hold down the Guide button, and choose People to display a directory of services to assist you in locating the names and email addresses of Internet users.

Adding a directory service

If you don't find what you're looking for using the supplied directory services, you can add a new directory service to the list that appears in the Search Directory dialog box.

 To add a new directory service:

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Preferences.

  2. Under Mail & Groups, click Directory.

  3. Click New.

  4. Enter the requested information and click OK. If you don't know what information to enter, click Help in the Add Directory Server dialog box.

  5. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.

Attaching a file to a message

  1. Click New Msg in Messenger's toolbar.

  2. Hold down the Attach button, and choose File.

  3. Choose the file you want to include in the message.

  4. (Windows) Click Open. (Macintosh and Unix) Click Attach.

    5. Tip  To attach the web page you're viewing in Navigator, drag the page's page proxy icon from Navigator into the attachments list in the message composition window.
    Tip To attach a file on your desktop or in a folder, drag it into the attachments list in the message composition window.

Seeing the list of attached files

Changing the message priority (Windows and Unix)

Before you send a message, you can change the message's priority so that recipients know whether or not the message is urgent. If you don't change the message priority, Messenger assigns it "normal" priority.
  1. Click the Message Options tab in the message composition window.

  2. Choose a message priority.

Changing the message priority (Macintosh)

Before you send a message, you can change the message's priority so that recipients know whether or not the message is urgent. If you don't change the message priority, Messenger assigns it "normal" priority.

Requesting a return receipt

Warning Do not request a return receipt if you're sending a message to a mailing list, an Internet newsgroup, or a discussion group. Also, some servers may not support this feature.
  1. Click the Message Options tab in the message composition window.

  2. Click Return Receipt.

Spell-checking a message before you send it

  1. Click Spelling in the message composition window. Messenger checks for spelling errors in the body of the message using its main dictionary, which contains the most common words. If Messenger finds a word that is not in the main dictionary, it displays the word in the Spelling dialog box and gives you choices for correcting the possible misspelling.

  2. For each word that Messenger displays in the Spelling dialog box, choose whether to correct the word, ignore it, or add it to the dictionary.

  3. Click Stop when you are done.

Saving a message draft

If you don't want to send a message right away or if you want to finish writing a message later before sending it, you can save the message in the Drafts folder. Messenger saves a copy of the message in the Drafts folder.

 To work on the message later:

  1. In any message list window, choose the Drafts folder from the list of folders.

  2. Double-click the message header to open the message to finish working on it. 
    3. Tip You can edit any message by moving it to the Drafts folder and opening it, or by selecting the message and choosing Edit Message from the File menu. Communicator saves the message in the Drafts folder until you send it or delete it.

Sending a message

If you are connected to a network or your Internet Service Provider, Messenger immediately sends the message. If you are working offline, Messenger moves the message to the Outbox or to the Unsent Messages folder to deliver when Communicator reconnects.
Note Messenger is initially set to copy outgoing mail and discussion group messages to the Sent folder. You must periodically delete messages from the Sent folder to keep it from growing too large. To change the preferences for outgoing messages, choose Preferences from the Edit menu, click Mail & Groups, and then click Messages.

Sending a message later

If you don't want to send a message right away, you can move it to the Outbox or to the Unsent Messages folder for later delivery. You can do this whether you are working online or offline. Messenger moves the message to the Outbox folder or to the Unsent Messages folder. It remains there until you choose to send it.

Sending messages in the Outbox or Unsent Messages folder

The Outbox folder or the Unsent Messages folder contains messages you've deferred for later delivery or messages composed and sent while working offline.

 To send messages in the Outbox or Unsent Messages folder:

Keeping message folders

Messenger provides these folders:
Note If you've upgraded to Communicator from a previous version of Navigator, this folder is called Outbox. If your computer did not contain a previous version of Navigator when you installed Communicator, this folder is called Unsent Messages.
You can also create your own folders to organize your mail.

Creating a message folder

  1. (Windows and Macintosh) From a message list window or the Message Center, choose the File menu, and then choose New Folder. (Unix) From the Message Center window, choose the File menu, and then choose New Folder.

  2. Type a name for the new folder.

  3. Choose the folder where you want Messenger to create the new folder. If you don't want to create the new folder as a subfolder, choose Local Mail.

  4. Click OK.

Moving messages to another folder

  1. From the message list, select the message you want to move. Click a message header to select it. To select additional messages, hold down the Shift key to select adjacent messages. To select nonadjacent messages, hold down the Ctrl key (Windows and Unix) or the Command key (Macintosh).

  2. (Windows and Macintosh) Click and hold down the File button. (Unix) From the Message menu, choose File Message.

  3. Choose the name of the folder you want to move the message to.

Opening a message folder

Searching folders for a message

  1. From the Edit menu, choose Message Search.

  2. Choose the folder you want to search.

  3. Choose the part of the message you want to use for the search.

  4. Choose a search condition.

  5. Type a keyword that you want to search for.

  6. Click Search.
If Messenger finds any messages that match your search conditions, Messenger lists them at the bottom of the Search dialog box. Double-click a message header to display the message.

Deleting a message folder

  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Message Center.

  2. Select the folder that you want to delete.

  3. From the Edit menu, choose Delete Folder.

Keeping a personal address book

You can create and use your own personal address book to keep information (such as email addresses, postal addresses, and telephone numbers) about people you send mail to. You can also access other address books, provided for you by your system administrator, if they are available at your location.

Adding names to your address book

  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Address Book.

  2. Click New Card.

  3. Type the person's first name, last name, and email address. See "Finding someone's email address" if you don't know the person's email address.

  4. Type a nickname for the person. A nickname must be unique and can be any alternate name you want to use for this person. Nicknames are convenient because you can just type the person's nickname instead of their email address when addressing mail to them.

  5. Type any notes you want to keep for this entry.

  6. Click the Contact tab (optional).

  7. Type the requested address and phone information for this person (optional). You can provide this information for your own convenience. It's not required.

  8. Click OK.

  9. Repeat steps 2 through 8 to add additional names to your address book. 
    10. Tip To edit the information in a person's card, double-click the person's entry in the address book.

Adding senders to your address book

You can quickly add the names of people who've sent you mail to your address book without having to type their names in the address book.
  1. In your Inbox, read a message that's from someone whose name you want to add to your address book.

  2. If the message includes an address book card (located at the bottom of the message), click Add to Address Book (next to the address book card) to add the sender to your address book. If the message does not include an address book card, continue with the following steps.

  3.  From the Message menu, choose Add to Address Book, and then choose Sender.

  4. Type a nickname for the person (optional). A nickname must be unique and can be any alternate name you want to use for this person. Nicknames are convenient because you can just type the person's nickname instead of remembering their email address when addressing mail to them.

  5. Type any notes you want for this entry.

  6. Click the Contact tab (optional).

  7. Type the requested address and phone information for this person (optional). You can provide this information for your own convenience. It's not required.

  8. Click OK. 

Creating a mailing list

A mailing list is a collection of email addresses for a group of people you regularly send mail to. When you address a message to the mailing list, everyone in the list gets a copy of the message.
  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Address Book.

  2. Click New List.

  3. Type a name for the mailing list. This is the name that you'll use to address messages to this list.

  4. If you want, type a nickname for the mailing list name. A nickname must be unique and can be any alternate name you want to use for this mailing list. You can type the nickname instead of the mailing list name when addressing messages to this mailing list.

  5. Drag entries from the Address Book window into the mailing list window's address area.

  6. Continue adding names to the list.

  7. Click OK. 

Selecting recipients for a new message

You can use your address book to search for and select the names of people you want to send mail to, so that you don't have to type their email addresses.
  1. Click the New Msg button.

  2. Click the Address button.

  3. Drag an address from the address book into the address area of the new message to add it to the list of recipients. To select additional recipients, hold down the Shift key and click to select adjacent ones. Hold down the Ctrl key (Windows and Unix) or the Command key (Macintosh) and click to select nonadjacent ones.

    4. If a recipient's email address doesn't appear in your address book, you can search for it. See "Searching for an entry" for more information.

  4. Click the close box in the address book when you are done.

Typing names from your address book

  1. Click New Msg in Messenger's toolbar.

  2. Begin typing the name or nickname of the first recipient. If Messenger recognizes a person or mailing list name stored in your address book, it finishes entering the name for you.

Deleting an entry

  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Address Book.

  2. Select the entry you want to delete.

  3. Click Delete.

Editing an entry

  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Address Book.

  2. Double-click the entry you want to edit.

  3. Make your changes.

  4. Click OK. 

Searching for an entry

  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Address Book.

  2. Type the name you are looking for.

  3. Choose the address book or directory service you want to search. To search a directory other than your personal address book, click Search. Messenger searches for matching entries.
Tip  To add a recipient to the list of recipients in a new message, drag a name from the address book into the address area of a new message.

Creating your address book card (Windows)

You can create an address book card and have Messenger automatically attach it to all outgoing messages. Your address book card provides information on how to contact you.

Follow these steps to create your address book card:

  1. From Messenger's Edit menu, choose Preferences.

  2. If necessary, click the + sign next to Mail and Groups.

  3. Click Identity.

  4. Click Edit Card.

  5. Type the requested information under the Name and Contact tabs, and click OK.

  6. Click "Always attach Address Book Card to messages."

  7. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box. 
    8. Tip If you decide not to include your address book card with a message you're composing, in the message's composition window, hold down the Attach button and uncheck My address book card.

Creating your address book card (Macintosh)

You can create an address book card and have Messenger automatically attach it to all outgoing messages. Your address book card provides information on how to contact you.

Follow these steps to create your address book card:

  1. From the Communicator menu, choose Address Book.

  2. Double-click the entry for your name. If your name doesn't appear in your address book, follow the steps under "Adding names to your address book" to add it.

  3. Type the requested information under the Name and Contact tabs, and click OK.

  4. From Messenger's Edit menu, choose Preferences.

  5. If necessary, click the triangle next to Mail and Groups.

  6. Click Identity.

  7. Click "Always attach Address Book Card to messages."

  8. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box. 
    9. Tip If you decide not to include your address book card with a message you're composing, in the message's composition window, hold down the Attach button and uncheck My address book card.

Creating a vacation notification message

If you will be away from your office and unable to respond to your mail until you return, it may be possible for you to have Messenger automatically send a vacation notification message to anyone who sends you mail while you're away. This command is only available if the server you use to connect to the Internet provides support for managing mail accounts. If this command is not available, ask your Internet Service Provider or system administrator for information on creating a vacation notification message.

Sending and receiving private email

To improve privacy, Netscape Messenger provides encryption (scrambling) and digital signing (authentication) of email messages. Messenger's privacy features comply with the Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) standard. The S/MIME standard allows Messenger to send and receive encrypted messages and authenticate received messages. Using the S/MIME standard, Messenger also provides features that detect message tampering.

 Message encryption is similar to putting your message inside an envelope to make it more difficult for unintended receivers to read your mail. A digital signature ensures that a matching certificate was used when signing a message. Without a digital signature, it's impossible for you to verify that the message actually came from the sender. When you receive a signed message, you can examine the sender's digital signature to help determine the message's authenticity.

Examining a message's security status

To examine a message's security status:
  1. Read the message.

  2. Click the Security button in Messenger's toolbar.

Obtaining digital certificates

To send an encrypted or signed message you need a digital certificate, which can be obtained from a variety of Certificate Authorities, such as VeriSign. You also need a valid digital certificate from each intended recipient.

 To learn more about obtaining a certificate:

  1. Click the Security button in Messenger's toolbar.

  2. Click Certificates.