# MSN Messenger, how to delete contacts?



## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

Can you tell me how to delete contacts in MSN? They stay in the red list but the "delete" word is gray and it's impossible to delete the names. Is that because the contacts haven't blocked me as well on their side?

Is there a way around this?

Thanks


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## Sonny1st (Jun 11, 2005)

Normally there are 2 ways.. you can right click on a name and choose delete or you can click on Contacts at the top and then choose delete a contact. Before opening Messenger also try clearing internet files and cookies. Have you updated to the new Windows Live messenger yet?


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## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

I have tried everything you wrote. I can delete contacts once but they still stay in the red list or green one. I want to erase them completely and not see them anymore. They are old contacts.


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## Sonny1st (Jun 11, 2005)

I'm by no means a pro on MSN, but I do use it occasionally.. I just went to it and when I opened it I had the same thing happen to me.. a lot of old contacts showed on my list. While I was there I opened my hotmail in a separate browser and clicked on the contacts in it. The old ones weren't there. After a few minutes the old ones on MSN were gone. I'm assuming it did some kind of syncro with Hotmail and updated itself. Weird I know but it did happen. Try leaving them both on for a while and see if that happens to you..If not maybe someone more familiar with MSN will post a reply.


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## Sonny1st (Jun 11, 2005)

One other thing you might check is to see if you for some reason you had the old contacts in different or more than one group such as Friends, co-workers, Other contacts. If so then maybe they aren't deleted because they are in reality still in another group. Good Luck and if you find the solution please post for others.


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## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

I tried looking in Hotmail. What you wrote made a lot of sense. These contact were indeed there so I deleted them in Hotmail. But still, they won't be deleted in MSN. This is getting on my nerves. It seems they stay in the registry somewhere because even after uninstalling MSN and reinstalling it, the contacts remain. Damn ! What the hell is this !


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## Sonny1st (Jun 11, 2005)

I found this answer in another forum and I'm afraid you're not going to like it. The user asked the exact same question you did and got this reply from a MS MVP. 
"Greetings,
Unfortunately you can't, you can only remove ones which have removed you from their main
contact list. This can be accomplished by right-clicking on each in the Privacy list and
choosing Delete. If its grayed out, then they've not removed you.

-- 
*******
Microsoft MVP - Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert


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## karbo (Sep 3, 2003)

I thought that might be the reason and you're right, I don't like it. Why don't people remove us from their contact list when we are no longer in contact? I have e-mailed someone asking her to remove my name but never got an answer and this contact is still there.

Oh well, thanks for your help. I might uninstall MSN and reinstall it with a new e-mail address. I think it should work, I hope...


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## Sonny1st (Jun 11, 2005)

Yep, I think that might be the best solution (a new user name). Not to defend the old contacts, but it's likely they either don't use MSN or have new e-mail addresses themselves and won't get your message anyway. Make sure you enter the contacts you do want to keep manually instead of importing them so you don't go through this again.. cya


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