What is Microsft Messenger (MSN)?

Microsft Messenger is an instant messaging service offered by Microsoft, through the Microsoft Network. It is one of the most popular instant-messenging service, partly because it is pre-installed on any Windows computer, similarly to iChat. Messenger boasts a registered userbase of around 155 million users of whom approximately 100 million are active; Messenger was launched in 1999.

Originally Messenger boasted interoperability with AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) but after repeated challenges from AOL this feature was quietly dropped.

Either a Hotmail email account or a .NET Passport is required to use MSN.

Level of support

Get a .NET Passport