Windows Messenger
Instant messaging client
title: "Windows Messenger" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["windows-only-freeware", "windows-only-instant-messaging-clients", "windows-components", "freeware", "defunct-instant-messaging-clients", "discontinued-windows-components"] description: "Instant messaging client" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Messenger" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Instant messaging client ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox software"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Windows Messenger |
| logo | Windows Messenger XP Icon.png |
| logo_size | x64px |
| screenshot | WM4.7ConversationWindow.png |
| screenshot_size | 300px |
| caption | A conversation in Windows Messenger 4.7.2009, with sidebar and toolbar enabled. |
| developer | Microsoft |
| released | |
| latest release version | 5.1.0715 |
| latest release date | |
| replaced_by | Windows Live Messenger |
| operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| website | (archived pages link August 2003) |
| :: |
| name = Windows Messenger | logo = Windows Messenger XP Icon.png | logo_size = x64px | screenshot = WM4.7ConversationWindow.png | screenshot_size = 300px | caption = A conversation in Windows Messenger 4.7.2009, with sidebar and toolbar enabled. | developer = Microsoft | released = | latest release version = 5.1.0715 | latest release date = | replaced_by = Windows Live Messenger | operating system = Microsoft Windows | website = (archived pages link August 2003) Windows Messenger is a discontinued instant messaging client included in Windows XP. Designed for use by both corporate and home users, it was originally created, in 2001, as a streamlined and integrated version of MSN Messenger. It was upgraded several times when it was made available for Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003. Since then, its development stopped. It was superseded by Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft Lync.
Overview
Windows Messenger was introduced in Windows XP on October 22, 2001. It is enabled by default. Its features include instant messaging, presence awareness, support for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), file transfer, application sharing and whiteboarding. Later versions added "ink" support and integration with Microsoft Lync Server (formerly Microsoft Office Communications Server). Windows Messenger's user interface is devoid of the clutter seen in Windows Live Messenger. Winks, nudges, and custom emoticons are unavailable, and the main user interface more closely resembles the standard Windows XP Luna style.
Windows Messenger integrates with Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Remote Assistance and Windows Media Center in Windows XP. Windows Messenger can communicate with the Exchange Server 2000's Instant Messaging Service and Microsoft Messenger Service. Interoperability with third-party software is exposed through a COM API called the Real Time Communications (RTC) Client API.
Development of Windows Messenger was halted after version 5.1 in favor of Windows Live Messenger and Microsoft Lync.
References
References
- (October 28, 2001). ".NET Messenger Service - Features".
- (October 22, 2001). "Messenger now officially available for Windows XP".
- (October 27, 2001). "Windows XP launched in three editions".
- (October 11, 2001). "Microsoft has a new message for Win XP".
- (October 2, 2003). "Get Windows Messenger 5.0".
- (February 8, 2005). "Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-009 - Critical".
- "MSFT Annual Report 2006".
- (November 1, 2005). "Microsoft Previews New Windows Live and Office Live Services".
- (June 8, 2001). "CNN.com - Sci-Tech - Microsoft to embed Messenger in Windows XP".
- (October 11, 2001). "Windows Messenger Update for Windows XP to Enable Consumers To Make PC-to-Phone Calls".
- (October 12, 2002). "Disable/Uninstall Windows Messenger in Windows XP – Smallvoid.com".
- (October 12, 2001). "Windows Messenger Tweaked for XP Launch".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::