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.
Features and Highlights
Build your list of friends
You'll have plenty of friends to chat with in Messenger before you know it. Import friends from other services like Facebook, Gmail, or LinkedIn. No need to re-create your contact list.
Let your personality shine
Personalize Messenger with a photo and background theme that reflect your unique style, and badges that display causes that are important to you. Happy? Grumpy? Excited? Express your moods with emoticons.
Share and play while you chat
Liven up your chats by sharing photos, watching videos, or playing Messenger games together. Be sure to post your scores.
Chat from Hotmail
Sign in to Messenger right from your Hotmail inbox and chat with your friends. You can even have multiple chats going at once.
Chat with Facebook friends
See who's online and enjoy all the rich features of chatting in Messenger. From your Messenger window you can chat with Facebook friends, see their updates, update your status, and post comments. Share photos and links with your status updates.
Share baby's first steps
Now Grandma doesn’t need to miss a thing—just start a video call and share your photos and videos in real time. That’s family memories the Messenger way.
Leave a video message
Why send a birthday card when you can leave a video message? If your friend is away from their PC, you can record and send a video message. That way they hear from you live—singing happy birthday is up to you!
Note: Messenger will be retired. Your contacts will come with you when you update to Skype.