Windows Live Messenger

It's the next-generation MSN Messenger. Along with everything you already love about Messenger-your contact list, emoticons, and instant access to your friends-there are brilliant new ways to connect and share photos (and other stuff). As always, it's free to download Messenger and use most of its features. Windows Live Messenger has a fresh new look, but it's still got all the features you know and love.

Get connected
Instantly connect to the people who matter the most-via text, voice, or video. Even if they're offline, you can leave a message or send a note.

Take control
Choose from a variety of status messages for any occasion. Use Windows Live Contacts to control your personal information-who sees it and what they see.

Share yourself
Share your personal files, photos, and videos of any size. Just drag and drop into a Shared Folder.

Connect with your friends on Yahoo!
With Windows Live Messenger, you can talk to your contacts on Yahoo! Just add their e-mail addresses (like all your other Messenger contacts) and you can see if they're online or offline and even share emoticons. You can send and receive messages while you appear to be offline. And if you really are offline, your contacts can still send you messages-you'll get them next time you log in.

PC-to-PC Calling
Speak your mind: Have a high-quality voice conversation using PC-to-PC Calling. You and the person you call will need to have Messenger installed, and compatible microphones and speakers or a headset.

Even better video conversations
Those old science fiction movies with TV phones? That's what the new Messenger will give you, only better: live, full-screen.

Text message their phones
See a little mobile icon next to a friend's name? Just right click to send a text message.

Your two-way, super-powered address book
With Windows Live Contacts, whenever your contacts update their information, it will also be changed in your Messenger address book. Instantly. (Your Windows Live Hotmail address book will be updated, too.)

Windows Live Alerts
Headlines, sports scores, traffic, or just about anything else you want to keep up with-get pop-up notifications of things as they happen.