For the past few days my Windows Live Messenger, 2011 edition, keeps randomly changing my status from 'Appears offline' to 'Available' on its own.
I would really like to find a way to stop this from happening, I'd prefer to be in control of my own status!
Does anyone out there know how I can get control of my Messenger back?
Now that messenger is using Skype to handle the video calling, etc. for Windows Live Messenger, your Skype and messenger status's are directly linked. If one changes, the other does as well.
your windows live or hotmail account is linked to your messenger, there is an option in the middle left part of the (in my case)hotmail inbox that says, sign off of messenger. That will unlink you from the messenger and your status wont change again when you sign in to your mailbox.
One suggestion I would make is to go to Tools > Options... and on the Personal tab under status, uncheck the box labeled "Show me as "away" when I'm inactive for [x] minutes". That might be part of your problem.
I had the same problem. It seems that if you're logged into Windows Live Messenger and appear offline then open up your hotmail inbox. If in you're 'available' in your hotmail inbox, it'll change the messenger to 'available'. In the hotmail inbox, I changed my status to 'appear offline' and that seems to solved the problem. To change the status in hotmail, click your name in the upper right and change the status.
