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Windows Live Essentials

You can download the fully released versions of the Windows Live Essentials programs at download.live.com.

Availability of the full release versions was made on January 7 2009.

On February 12 an update became available for Windows Live Messenger. As well, other Live Essential programs (Live Mail, Live Photo Gallery and Live Toolbar) were also updated. Go to download.live.com, run the Windows Live installer and it'll sort out which programs need updating. Agree to the prompt to install the updates and you'll then have the latest releases. For more information, read through Windows Live Messenger update notice from the Messenger team on Feb 12.

If you installed the "refreshed" versions of the Live Essentials after December 15/16, then you have the full versions. You can tell if you have the full versions by no longer seeing "Beta" in the title of each Live Essential program on your Windows start menu (under the Windows Live folder).

If you're unsure of the version you currently have, one indication you have the trial (beta) versions is that you'll be prompted when you sign into Live Messenger that there's an update available. As well, all the Live Essential programs will have Beta in their titles on your Windows Start menu listing.

Otherwise go to download.live.com and the Windows Live Installer will inform you whether you need to update or not.

The free Windows Live Essentials programs include the following. Each link below takes you to a page here at webDotWiz Online for more information including how-to's and news:

Each of the above pages has:

Download Windows Live Essentials

You can download the fully released versions at download.live.com.

Links in March 2010

Links to more information for January 2010

You can read the latest news of announcements made over the past couple of weeks of what you'll see in Windows Live Essentials. Here are the main links:

Older links

Here are some links to more general information about the Live Essentials free programs: