Im New

=Help me! I'm new to Miranda!=

Well, good. You've come to the right place.

This short tutorial will get you chatting to your friends in no time!

Install Miranda
If you have not done this, do it now. The latest release of Miranda IM can be downloaded here.

Use the standard installer if you are on dial-up, or the web-installer option if you are on broadband.

During the installation, you will be asked which protocols you wish to install. Select those that are necessary.

Run Miranda
Double-click the icon on the Desktop, or use the Start menu.

Set up your account details
On your first run, Miranda will ask you for the details of your instant messaging accounts. If you have none, you can follow the links to places to register for an account.

Using Miranda
The first thing you will see is the Miranda contact list. It will most likely be empty. Add contacts by using the 'Find/Add Contacts' item on the Main Menu (represented by an icon on the left of 'Status' menu).

You can change your status in protocols by clicking on their icons at the bottom of your contact list. Or you can set them all at once By using the 'Status' menu at the top.

Each time you change status, you will be asked for a status message. This is a message your friends will see when you are in that status. If you leave the dialog it will close automatically. To turn this dialog off, see Status Message Dialog.

Sending a message
Double-click on a contact's name to open a chat window.

If you do not like the look and feel of the default chat-window, it can be greatly enhanced with SRMM plugins.

Reading a contact's status message
Right-click on a contact, and choose 'Read Away message' or similar.

Hiding Miranda's window
Click on the 'X' in the top-right corner. This will hide Miranda, but keep it running. To get the window back, double-click the icon in the system tray, next to your clock on the taskbar.

Reading a message
When you receive a message, the system tray icons will blink, and you may hear a sound. Double-click the flashing icon to read the message and open a chat window to reply.

I don't like it!
If there is something you don't like about Miranda, or the way it works, I guarantee you it can be changed. Firstly, read this article: Popular Plugins. There are plugins for new contact list designs, new chat-windows, you can even drag your contacts out of the list, and onto your desktop! That way they are always at hand.

For more help with Miranda, you are always welcome at the forums. Don't forget to search them before you post. Also read the 'Sticky' threads at the top of the help forum.

Good luck!