Windows Live Messenger

Windows Live Messenger was an instant messaging client developed by Microsoft. It allowed users to communicate in real-time via text, voice, and video chat. At its peak, Windows Live Messenger had over 330 million active users per month.

Windows Live Messenger alternatives ➤

What is Windows Live Messenger?

Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger) was an instant messaging client developed by Microsoft. It was first released in 1999 under the name MSN Messenger Service before being renamed Windows Live Messenger in 2005.

Windows Live Messenger allowed users to communicate in real-time with contacts via text, voice, and video chat. Some of the key features included:

Real-time messaging via text chat
Ability to see when contacts were online/offline
Group conversations with multiple contacts
File transfers, photo sharing, and more
PC-to-PC voice and video calling

At its peak popularity in the late 2000s, Windows Live Messenger had over 330 million active users per month, making it one of the most widely-used instant messaging platforms globally. However, around 2013, Microsoft retired the Windows Live Messenger service in favor of Skype after acquiring the platform in 2011.

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The Best Windows Live Messenger Alternatives

Top Apps like Windows Live Messenger

WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Pidgin, Viber, Mumble, Tox, Jitsi Desktop, EA App, RetroShare are some alternatives to Windows Live Messenger.

Sugggest an alternative ❐

WhatsApp is a freeware, cross-platform centralized instant messaging (IM) and voice over IP (VoIP) service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to send text messages, voice messages, video calls, images, documents, and user location for free over an internet data connection.Originally launched in 2009, WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook...

Telegram is a popular cloud-based instant messaging and voice over IP service launched in 2013 by Pavel Durov and Nikolai Durov. It emphasizes security and speed over other messaging applications. Some key features of Telegram include:End-to-end encrypted messaging, video calls, group chats, file sharing etc.Sync across multiple devices like...

Signal

Signal is a free, open source software application for iOS, Android, and Desktop that employs end-to-end encryption, allowing users to send end-to-end encrypted group, text, picture, and audio & video messages, and have encrypted phone conversations between Signal users.First released in July 2014, Signal is developed by the Signal Foundation...

Facebook Messenger

Facebook Messenger is a messaging app and platform developed by Facebook. It was originally built into the Facebook app but was spun off into its own separate app in 2014.Messenger allows Facebook users to send messages, photos, videos, make voice and video calls, and more to contacts. Some key features...

Skype

Skype is a telecommunications software application that specializes in providing video chat and voice calls between computers, tablets, mobile devices, the Xbox One console, and smartwatches via the Internet. Skype also provides instant messaging services. Users may transmit text, video, audio and images.Skype was first released in August 2003. eBay...

Pidgin

Pidgin is a popular open source chat application used primarily for instant messaging. It supports multiple mainstream chat protocols and accounts including AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, XMPP/Jabber, IRC, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, Novell GroupWise, Lotus Sametime, Zephyr, and more. This allows users to manage all of their instant messaging accounts and...

Viber

Viber is a popular cross-platform voice over IP and instant messaging app. It allows users to send free text messages, photos, videos and make free calls to other Viber users on various platforms including Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Mac OS, Linux and Microsoft Windows.Some key features of Viber include...

Mumble

Mumble is an open-source voice over IP (VoIP) application that focuses on low latency and high sound quality for online gaming. It uses minimal bandwidth for efficient data transfer, allowing for responsive communication between players during team-based games.Some key features of Mumble include:Emphasis on low latency - Audio...

Tox

Tox is an open-source, peer-to-peer instant messaging and video calling platform that focuses on privacy and security. It provides end-to-end encryption for chats and calls to ensure user data remains private.Unlike many other messaging apps, Tox does not rely on central servers - it uses a distributed network where...

Jitsi Desktop

Jitsi Desktop is a free, open source video conferencing application for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. It allows users to easily conduct encrypted video meetings with multiple participants.Some of the key features of Jitsi Desktop include:End-to-end encryption for secure video callsScreen sharing to present documents, slides, and...

EA App

EA App is a free mobile application developed and published by Electronic Arts for iOS and Android devices. It serves as a centralized hub to browse, purchase, download, and play games from Electronic Arts' catalog on a mobile device.Some key features and capabilities of the EA App include:Browse...

RetroShare

RetroShare is a free, open-source, private and secure decentralized communication platform. It lets users securely chat, message, communicate, share files, photos, host forums and channels over the internet.Some key features of RetroShare:End-to-end encrypted messaging and chatAnonymous and private file sharingDecentralized forums and channelsWorks peer-to-peer without central serversProtects users'...