- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows XP/Vista
- Date added: September 02, 2009
- Total Downloads: 17,748,754
- Downloads last week: 47,233
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 483 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
This program improves on its predecessor, MSN Messenger, with the ability to share folders and files locally with fellow users. Windows Live Messenger also serves up the standard emoticons, multiplayer-only gaming, free PC-to-PC calling, mobile phone messaging, and video chatting in a full 640x480-pixel screen. VoIP capabilities allow you to call telephones around the world for a fee, although you can't receive inbound calls from landlines or cell phones.
During the quick installation, Windows Live Messenger offers optional shortcuts, a sign-in assistant, and Rhapsody music software, as well as the ability to change your Internet Explorer home page to MSN. You can store up to 600 contacts, integrated with your Windows Live Mail account. We found the integration a bit heavy-handed, especially when links opened in IE rather than our default browser. Also, like most dedicated chat clients, the program is a memory hog.
The Sharing Folders feature lets you and your buddy transfer files by displaying a mirror of each others' files. You can drag and drop files into the chat window or Sharing Folder. Microsoft includes a free scanner for checking files for viruses, but it didn't recognize our Symantec AntiVirus. It's unclear whether the shared files are stored on both computers or on Microsoft servers, but you can access the files offline. We wish help were offline, too, especially since the online help is so general. While Windows Live Messenger isn't yet the ultimate communications hub, it's a solid, fun, multimedia chatting tool.
Watch the CNET video review of Windows Live Messenger:
Publisher's description
From Microsoft :Windows Live Messenger includes support for the im Initiative! Every time you start a conversation using im, Microsoft shares a portion of the program's advertising revenue with some of the world's most effective organizations dedicated to social causes. So any time you have an im conversation using Windows Live Messenger, you help address the issues you feel most passionate about. It's simple. All you have to do is join and start an instant messaging conversation.
Key Features: Call your friends' PC (free), mobile or landline phones. Calls require a microphone and speakers or a headset and broadband connection. Make calls for less than $.02 a minute to most places around the world with Verizon Web Calling. Start a video conversation within minutes with a webcam. Drop in photos and other stuff for friends in a Sharing Folder, as many as your computer can handle. With Windows Live Messenger you can now connect with your Yahoo! IM contacts.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 483 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 71 user reviewsSee all 71 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Windows Live Messenger 14.0.8089.0726
Pros: A GOOD WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHERS
Cons: TILL NOW NOTHING
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Version: Windows Live Messenger 14.0.8089.0726
Pros: Hate windows
Cons: Know cons.understand
Summary: What for,its just trouble
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Version: Windows Live Messenger 14.0.8089.0726
Pros: What you would expect from a Microsoft product.
Cons: Again - just what you would expect from Microsoft....
Summary: It works.....but it's nothing to get excited about.
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Version: Windows Live Messenger 14.0.8089.0726
"OK but tries to change Firefox home page"
Pros: Easy to use, though not that easy to configure start page
Cons: The program tried to change my Firefox home page even though I marked it not to, and it took several different attempts until I got things back to normal - a stupid decision of whoever wrote that routine
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Version: Windows Live Messenger 14.0.8089.0726
"Doesn't work for me.Stops at 67%-Vista SP1"
Pros: New is often better--NOT this time!
Cons: Tried several times butoesn't work for me--stops at 67% and uninstalls
Summary: Doesn't work for me--stops at 67% and uninstalls
- See all 71 user reviews Write review
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- Microsoft Windows Live,
- Microsoft Windows Live Messenger
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