A system and method are provided for switching between conversations in instant messaging applications. The instant messaging application is configured for displaying a list of conversations upon detecting selection of the option within a menu or link within the conversation screen and permit navigation to another conversation. The conversations may be prioritized based first on whether the conversation has any unread messages and within the grouping of those conversations having unread messages, may be prioritized based on when the last activity occurred. In this way, the user has easiest access to conversations with the most recent activity with the ability to scroll down the list of conversations to continue an older conversation if desired.