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Windows Live Essentials

Windows Essentials
Windows Essentials logo.svg
Windows Essentials installer
Windows Essentials installer
Developer(s) Microsoft
Initial release August 25, 2006; 10 years ago (2006-08-25)
Stable release
2012 (v16.4.3528.0331) / April 17, 2014; 3 years ago (2014-04-17)
Development status Discontinued
Operating system Windows XP to Windows 10
Type Software suite
License Freeware
Website windows.microsoft.com/essentials

Windows Essentials (formerly Windows Live Essentials and Windows Live Installer) is a discontinued suite of Microsoft freeware applications that includes e-mail, instant messaging, photo sharing, blogging, and parental control software. Essentials programs are designed to integrate well with each other, with Microsoft Windows, and with other Microsoft web-based services such as OneDrive and Outlook.com.

Windows Essentials 2012 includes the following applications:

Windows Essentials applications support installation on Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012. Previous versions were also available on Windows XP and Windows Vista, and included Windows Live Messenger.

On August 25, 2006, Microsoft began seeking testers for their invitation-only Windows Live service named Windows Live Essentials. It was very similar to Google Pack in that it allows users to discover, install, and maintain a number of Windows Live application programs. However, the original Windows Live Essentials was referred to as the website serving the purpose of allowing users to discover new Windows Live services. The Windows Live Essentials website was integrated tightly with Windows Live Dashboard, an application which offers a view of the services the user already has and what new Windows Live software and services are available. Windows Live Dashboard required users to sign-in with their Windows Live ID to check whether the service has been downloaded or not. At that time, web-based services such as Windows Live Hotmail (then Windows Live Mail) was also part of the list.


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