Windows Live Messenger was Microsoft's desktop instant messaging client, with contact lists, group conversations, photo sharing and video calls. It could import contacts from services such as Facebook, Gmail and LinkedIn, and displayed social updates alongside chats. The freeware client also offered custom backgrounds, animated display pictures, emoticons and games. Microsoft has discontinued the Messenger service, so its original online chat features are no longer available.
| Author: | Microsoft |
| License: | Freeware |
| Price: | FREE |
| Released: | May 14, 2013 |
| File size: | 1.21 MB |
| Downloads: | 562 |
| Keywords: | windows live software, Windows Live Messenger, messenger video calls, File Sharing, Messenger, Video Chat, desktop chat software, Social Networking, WLM, MSN, msn messenger, Instant Messenger, Instant Messaging, Microsoft, windows live messenger, MSN Messenger, instant messaging client |
| Author URL: | https://www.microsoft.com |
Windows Live Messenger was Microsoft's instant messaging client for people who wanted to chat with contacts from a Windows desktop. It brought text conversations, contact management and social updates into one application, with options for communicating by video and sharing media. The Messenger service has since been discontinued, so its online chat features are no longer available.
The client organized contacts into a list, with favorites for keeping frequent contacts easy to find and groups for starting conversations with several people in one window. Users could import contacts from services including Facebook, Gmail and LinkedIn rather than rebuilding a list manually. While the service was active, Messenger also supported chats with Facebook friends and displayed social network updates alongside conversations.
Conversations could include shared photos, links and status updates, as well as emoticons, animated display pictures, custom backgrounds and sounds. Users could watch videos or play Messenger games together, and video calls enabled face-to-face chats. The program also connected with Windows Live Hotmail, allowing contacts to chat from an inbox or through a web interface when the desktop client was unavailable.
Windows Live Messenger was distributed as freeware and was part of Microsoft's Windows Live software suite, which also included Photo Gallery and Movie Maker. It is legacy software rather than a usable current messaging service: Microsoft shut down Messenger for most users, and installing the client does not restore access to its original network. Its features are relevant primarily to people researching or preserving older Windows software.