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How do I Uninstall Windows Live Messenger?

Question:

I installed Windows Live Messenger 2009 (aka Messenger 9) and it’s
not working for me so I want to uninstall it. Problem is it’s not
listed in Control Panel. Like others uninstalling Messenger 9 I’ve
deleted the files from the systems disk but whenever I try reinstalling
Messenger 8.5 it says that I’m still using 9.0. Should I give up and
just reformat my whole system?

I’ve been getting variations on this question a lot lately because
people can’t seem to resist installing Beta software. (Hint:
don’t – no matter what anyone says – unless you really
know what you’re doing.)

As with all Beta software, there may be problems and you may find yourself wanting to revert
to the previous version.

Except in this case Microsoft has done a nice job of hiding the
uninstaller. Yes, it’s there, it’s just not obvious. And no, a reformat
isn’t required.

]]>

I have to repeat myself about installing Beta software. To put it bluntly, unless you really know what you’re doing, installing Beta software is asking for trouble. So don’t be surprised at all when trouble finds you.

The right way to install Beta software is to:

“… unless you really know what you’re doing, installing Beta software is asking for trouble.”
  1. Take a full image backup of your machine.

  2. Install the Beta software.

  3. Play with the Beta software to try it out and see if you like it or not.

  4. Restore your machine completely from that image backup to remove the Beta software.

Beta software shares at least one characteristic with viruses: once it’s on your machine you don’t really know what it’s going to do. It will have bugs, and there’s no guarantee that uninstalling just the application, or updating the application to a later version, will actually work. If you read the licensing agreement for Beta software, you’ll typically find that they warn you about exactly this.

I know we don’t always follow those rules, and that’s one way we end up with systems that have problems and software that doesn’t work.

Enough said.

Let’s uninstall.

Windows Live Installation

I don’t normally run Windows Live Messenger, so this was a good opportunity for me to download it and try it out. I was surprised at the size of the installation, and it quickly became clear that Microsoft was attempting to “bundle” a number of applications into a single installation. Yes, you could choose only one, like Messenger, but the download was still significantly larger than in versions past. That was my first clue.

Windows Live Messenger About Box

With Windows Live Messenger installed, I went to Control Panel’s Add/Remove list, and sure enough, it wasn’t there. But something else was:

Windows Live Essentials Uninstall

“Windows Live Essentials” appears to be the umbrella uninstaller for Windows Live Messenger and all the other Windows Live products you may have installed. Click on its Change/Remove. You’ll be asked if you want to Uninstall, or Repair a Windows Live program. Select Uninstall and click Continue. Then you’ll get the list:

Windows Live Essentials Uninstaller

Make sure that Messenger is checked and click Continue.

Windows Live Messenger is Uninstalled

That’s it. Windows Live Messenger has been uninstalled from my machine, and hopefully now from yours as well.

Update: (02-Jan-2010) For those people who are still having trouble after following the instructions above, I’m very interested if the free version of Revo Uninstaller helps. It’s been known to uninstall things that have been having problems, but I’ve not seen enough feedback to know whether or not it’s working for this problem. If you have information, please leave a comment.

In addition, reader eddsn has provided a utility that some readers appear to be having success with: visit his site for more. (Disclaimer: use at your own risk, I do not know eddsn, and have not tried his utility myself.)

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474 comments on “How do I Uninstall Windows Live Messenger?”

  1. If i uninstalled windows live messenger and then re installed it would it let me use aol because i have windows live messenger 8.5 beta and i like it i love it even but like i want to use aol on it but if i uninstalled it then used it agian and tiped in aol acount would it make a diffrence because i dosnt work now and i have had a aol acount for ages! and i would like to use it on messenger but i have used hotmail on it before i put my aol acount in please help LEO reply soon ok byee!

    I’m very confused by what you’re asking, but in general a) you cannot use an AOL account to sign in to any version of Windows/MSN Messenger, and b) You can use AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) regardless of whether or what version of Windows/MSN Messenger is installed. AOL and Windows Messenger are two separate systems.

    – Leo
    08-Feb-2009
    Reply
  2. So I have been trying to kick windows live beta off my computer for some time since for some reason I cant uninstall it, but every time I did what you recommended, once completed everything still remains there. I tried going into my program files to delete it manually and it says I need permission to perform this action, but the thing is I always give it permission, and I am the only user on this computer. What do I do? I give it the permission but then the message pops up again saying I need to provide permission once more but this time there is no button to give permission, just simply a retry button which does nothing

    Reply
  3. windows live essential not in my program list and the msn massanger8 installer is still asking for remove latest version of msn? what to do now to remove msn 9

    Reply
  4. I am a user of windows messenger and have recently got a vuirus on it that keeps pop ups coming up to me and all my contacts when i sign in , i would like to kno if i can uninstall my windows messenger and then reinstall it and will be able to keep all my messenger contacts , but with the virus eliminated or removed ?

    Reply
  5. If anyone’s curious, apparently Windows Live Essentials is (going to be) something like a (limited) package manager for Windows 7 — it’s been mentioned in the Windows 7 presentations I’ve watched. From the article, I take it it’s also being back-ported to XP and Vista, which makes sense to me.

    Their idea seems to be simply “let’s not bundle all this stuff in the base OS, instead people can download the parts they want using Live Essentials”.

    Reply
  6. Windows Live Essentials is not in my Add/Remove list but Windows Live Messenger was (I’ve removed it OK saving 32MB)
    XP Home

    Reply
  7. “The right way to install Beta software is to:
    Take a full image backup of your machine.
    Install the Beta software.
    Play with the Beta software to try it out and see if you like it or not.
    Restore your machine completely from that image backup to remove the Beta software.”

    Wouldn’t it be easier and less time-consuming to accomplish the same thing by simply using a sandbox to run the beta in?

    I’m not sure about “easier”, but yes, a sandbox or virtual machine is certainly another option. If you’re taking regular backups anyway, though, the backup scenario may not be any additional work.

    – Leo
    11-Feb-2009
    Reply
  8. I looked all over for Windows Essentials and found nothing. However, Windows Live Messenger is in my add/remove program. I’m happy with it but it is not a beta as far as I know.

    Reply
  9. In this guys question he said he already had deleted the files. So if he also removed the uninstaller won’t he be getting an error?
    Or maybe he’ll nead to run the Repair first, or to install everything over again and THEN uninstall with your directions

    Reply
  10. leo before i read this artical i had windows live essential in my addremove programs but wen i clikd on it, it sed dat windows live messenger 9 has alredy been uninstalled nd the windows live essential icon got removed from addremove programs nd now i still have windows live messenger 9 and it wont go away please help me i dont know what to do to get rid of it i treied everything you’ve sed so far i also went my computer and clikd manage nd messenger didnt show up in the services menu plzzzzzz help me i reali hate this messenger i want the old one bak :(((((((((((((((((

    Reply
  11. Thank you so much for show me how to uninstall Messernger Live ID…….friends said I had a virus – popup was coming up with explicit sexual content and they knew it wouldn’t be me. Thanks, again……………Joan Clarke

    Reply
  12. I have uninstalled the “Windows Live Essentials.” I was wondering do/should I uninstall the Windows Live Sign-In Assistant” and the “Windows Live Upload Tool.” Are these both part of this download that was done. They are both dated the same day that I downloaded the messenger (today), but I wanted to make sure that these are not used for anything else. I was trying messenger. I do use windows mail and I want to make sure removing these will not affect that…thank you for your help!

    Reply
  13. ok i have vindows vista and i don’t install msn from windows installer, but froia normal install app, so i don’t have thi file. Please help me!

    Reply
  14. I have tried everything! i have read all websites. done everything i can. Windows Live Messenger 2009 JUST WONT UNINSTALL!!!! :'(

    Help?

    Reply
  15. HI! I have just deleted the windows live from program files (my computer>F:drive>program files>windows live) then I have also disabled in the sevices section…WHEN I am installing the older 8.1 version it shows I still have the newer version………..I don’t know what to do know …….Please help me get rid of this idiot software

    Reply
  16. thank you so much.. this article was so helpful! and i didn’t realise about the beta software so that was useful as well! thanks

    Reply
  17. I tried what you said but when unistall windows appear it doesn`t appear anything to uninstall… i tried to do it 1000 times and also reboot my computer…what can i do?? thank you very much

    Reply
  18. I still can’t uni uninstall it, cause I tried the Windows Live Essentials thing before, and now I don’t have it in Add or Remove Programs, and ZapMessenger doesn’t work… WHAT SHOULD I DO?! I know you’ve had a lot of other comments like this, but PLEASE help!

    Reply
  19. just so you people know,

    uninstalling MSN LIVE does NOT remove your “virus” ..

    it is a Trojan that is installed somehow most likely by using Internet Explorer ( you should never be using that unless its on super high security which is dumb anyway )

    run a spyware/malware scan to remove it, you can still use msn live .

    just f.y.i , and be careful what you do on the internet now and use Firefox.

    Reply
  20. my messenger doesnt load and wont uninstall. IT GIVES ME AN ERROR SAYING IM NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET WHEN TRYING TO UNINSTALL MINE. It looks like the picutres above though with the examples.

    Reply
  21. Oh! Thank you soooooo much!!!
    This has been driving me crazy! It works and now Windows Live Messenger is gone forever. DO NOT download this EVER!

    Reply
  22. Insert Windows CD and select install optional windows componets. Click om windows messenger, click on next to remove. after it has been removed create a new briefcase on deskestop. Move the entire messanger folder to the briefcase. The little begger does not apper on my system any more.

    Reply
  23. Hi, I’ve done what you’ve said to do but when i click the uninstall/change button, this box comes up saying “windows needs your permission to continue..” etc etc. Then i press contine, and nothing else happens? I’ve restarted and everything. I need to get rid of this msn! please help me :(

    Reply
  24. hi there ,
    i have tried to unistall the windows live messenger But i just wont do anything when i press remove/change please help.

    Reply
  25. I have installed then uninstalled the messenger. Then again, I installed it to check something, but as I tried to uninstall it, Windows Live Essentials isn’t there anymore on the Add/Remove Programs. Can you please help?

    Reply
  26. i get the same thing as kirstie–an over and over ad nauseum box that says “windows needs your permission to continue” that never continues no matter how much permission you give it.

    Reply
  27. There is no Windows Live Essentials Button!
    I cannot find this anywhere… so now I cant uninstall it? I hate HATE HATE this new version, it wont let me use my webcam!

    Reply
  28. I suggest, to get the program “your uninstaller” it removes any program period. I tried using the controll panel option “add or remove programs” and it didnt work. Uninstaller did it in seconds.

    Reply
  29. Mine is the same as Stephen’s. When I click change/remove, nothing happens!! Please help me! I hate the newest version of Windows Live and I REALLY want to go back to the old one!

    Reply
  30. Same as Stephen, I have been trying to uninstall Windows Live Essential and when I click the uninstall/repair button, nothing happens.

    Reply
  31. I clicked repair/remove and it didn’t ask me a thing, it just removed everything. but now I can’t find windows live anymore and if I want to install a new one, my computer says that the old one is still installed….

    Reply
  32. I uninstalled the windows live essentials, but it’s still on my computer and I still can’t get back the old messenger and I have no idea what to do.

    Reply
  33. Hi my problem is the same as that of stephens. I go to click uninstall/repair but nothing happens. please help it is making my computer freeze up constantly

    Reply
  34. If you need to get rid of windows live msn 09, go to start , run and put in:

    msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C}

    It will remove msn completely.

    Reply
  35. Thanks alot i have been so stressed up cox of this msn…haiss…tried loggin in wasnt possible and so i deleted thought of reinstallin the msn live…but wen i did noth happen i could not even install a new msn…untill i saw this page…it really helps…thanks alot..!!!!!!!!!i can do mi sch work peacfully…=)

    Reply
  36. Ive tried everything an though there appear not to be any track of windows live, i cant reinstall it or install an older version, ive tried with register editors, the lines to put in the run program but nothing works, will i be forced to format my pc for this?

    Reply
  37. ive managed 2 delete it, but when i go 2 upload the old virsion it says i carnt, and that i need 2 upload the new virsion BUT I DNT WANT THAT 1 i want my old 1 bk :(…..HELP!!!

    Reply
  38. guys i cant remove the windows live messenger !! help .. i went to the control pannel add and remove programs but the windows live essentials wasn’t their !! soo any comments ? please send them to my email : [email address removed]

    Reply
  39. u dont need to uninstall if u want ur old msn back, u just need to go into downloads and find ur old msn then click run. that should take u back to the installling stage of ur old messenger

    Reply
  40. I had problems with windows live messenger 9 as well and I uninstalled it, however when I try to download the windows live 2008 which worked fine …I get an error say I don’t have Windows Live Suite was not installed….

    Reply
  41. Thank you so much!!! I couldn’t find my way around it but after reading your instructions I have uninstalled the new messenger. By the way, it is not good at all!!

    Reply
  42. Thanks ,but it didn’t work i don’t have windows live essential, anyone know where i can download this thing? if you can, and if it’s less than 10mb, please send it to this e-mail “[email address removed]”

    Reply
  43. I uninstalled version 9 using your directions and that went fine. Then I downloaded version 8 again, but can’t install it. I get an error everytime I try. It says error 0x8000ffff catastrophic error. Sounds scary to me!

    Reply
  44. Hiya, thanks for placing this on your site, its been helpful but when i get to the stage where i press change/remove it simply wont do it. I can click on it as many times as you can think of and uninstall wont come up, any idea why this is happening?
    please reply if you can! I will be much appreciated :) xx

    Reply
  45. hi my name is jane and i am 14 years old.my windows live messenger said there was a new update for me,so i went with it but now…i don’t like it at all!its confusing and i just want my normal MSN messenger back.I can’t find this software in ‘control panel’ so what do i do?any help here? :( please get back to me

    Reply
  46. THANKYOU SO MUCH!!!
    this helped me heaps…. i was going crazy trying to look for “windows live messenger” in Add/Remove programs!
    thanks again :D

    Reply
  47. Thank you so much leo!
    i have been trying more than 6 hours to uninstall it!!! now it has i am so elieved and can go back to chiolling and talking to my mates o the old version which i prefer to the msn 9

    big thanks again!

    Reply
  48. Hi, I too have a lot of issues with this new updates. I absolutely hated it. Now, I did followed your instruction on to uninstalling it, but the darn program is still in there. Please, help!

    Reply
  49. Did not work for me as per your directions. The thing is, I can find it, and try to uninstall as you say by clicking on the live essentials, but it does not do the process. I can click all day, it doesn’t work.

    Reply
  50. i uninstalled it, now when i try to install the old one…says that a newer version is on my pc…i couldn’t even get it to open when i did have the new one!!! help!!!

    Reply
  51. I tried to uninstall Live bit by bit and by the time I found this help it would not work so I downloaded (!!)the lot all over again and went to uninstall windows live essentials and it worked perfectly cheers
    k

    !!

    Reply
  52. Thanks so much for your advice. I’m so glad I found your help page because Messenger 9.0 is infuriating. That’s awful sneaky of them to call it “Windows Live Essentials.” Thanks again for your help!!!

    Reply
  53. Same problem as many other users. Installed the messenger and found it under Add/Remove Programs but no response when selecting change/remove. The actual selection is registered by the system but the subsequent command seems to lead to a dead end. Much obliged if you could resolve this for me, extensive googling has not so far!

    Reply
  54. this helped me so much , i was trying everythign and nothing worked for me , and now that i know , i’ll never install beta versions anymore . thank you so much for your help !

    Reply
  55. you just look for “windows live essentials” in the “add or remove programs” section of control panel, and the uninstall option comes.. you can uninstall messenger separately without uninstalling the other mail functions if u like. easy as that.. you just dont see the uninstall messenger option until you click on windows live essentials. This is normal with mnicrosoft that they think “because we know where we put it, everybody does”!!
    Microsoft are a bunch of idiots as we all know

    Reply
  56. Thanks a million. I couldn’t find messenger until you showed me where to look.I went to messenger essentials and there it was just hiding from me . Thanks

    Reply
  57. thank you very much! Your tip totalyy work for me. And for the other “newer versiyon is on your computer” queations I should say this; restart your computers after uninstalling :)

    Reply
  58. I had the same problem the person described. I simply didn’t like MSN 9.0, so I went to reinstall 8.5, and it said 9.0 was still on the system.

    Now I already removed Windows Live Essentials, and I actually removed any traces of Live or Messenger I had on the computer, restarted, and it still says the same thing … That there is an upgraded version, so the installation process was unable to be completed.

    Reply
  59. Thanks alot for yur advice it work…….i followed yur instruction on how to uninstall window live messenger and it work wonders. Thanks again.

    Reply
  60. I removed the Windows Live Essentials. I am trying to install Windows Live again but it says its still on my system and won’t do it. I removed it from every place I can find it, including my registry. The error numbers I got while trying to start it up I found pages on and did that. Right now I have absolutely no way to access it. I removed it from every place I can think of yet when I got to install it says I still have it.

    Everything else on my computer is working fine. This is my only problem. Any ideas??

    Reply
  61. I AM ALSO TRYING TO UNINSTALL WINDOWS LIVE MESSENGER BUT WHEN I CLICK ON ” WINDOWS LIVW ESSENTIALS ” IT GOES FAINT FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN BACK TO BLUE BUT NOTHING HAPPENS AND IT DOES NOT UNINSTALL

    Reply
  62. Thanks heaps for that. I thought that might be it, but didn’t want to uninstall it incase it was for some other program and I screwed the whole thing up >.

    Reply
  63. I had same problem but at 9% unistall time I cancelled b/c I wanted to try another route. Now I can’t seem to get windows live essentials out of my add/remove programs. It won’t do anything anymore. Please help! If you can, please email me at [email address removed].
    Thanks!

    Reply
  64. Just got a new computer and I hate Messenger and live talk and all that — this computer is for work. It was driving me crazy! I looked all over for the answer and finally read your suggestion, 2 seconds, gone!! Thanks so much for I am new to Vista and apprenshive that I am going to lose something essential.

    Reply
  65. HELLO!! i need help. i have recently uninstal window live essential . When i tried to download it again , they tell me that i have all the programmes. Now i cannot download Msn messenger anymore. What do i do?

    Reply
  66. I unistalled msn 2009, and im trying to get 8.5 i downloaded it but its coming up error sumtn about the suite isnt der
    please help

    Reply
  67. click right button on the installation file,
    then click “uninstall”. It worked perfetly for me.

    I didn’t see the “window live essentials” in my control panel neither.

    Reply
  68. hiya.. this is all good information.. i tired to follow it but found that ‘windows live essentials’ wasnt on my uninstall list.. i dont know what to do now????

    Reply
  69. Thanks Leo.
    your article helped. I did have some problems however. First let me explain that the Windows Live package installed using the Microsoft Update. I guess it’s no longer beta. Anyway shortly after it installed I realized it was a mistake. Not only didn’t need this suite of software but it was totally intrusive. It tied into multiple applications like Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer. I knew I had to remove it. Now for my problem and how I solved it. Under Control Panel’s Add/Remove Programs list I did have Windows Live Essentials. When I clicked Change/remove nothing happened. I remember during the install process the wizard was stuck around 85% then crashed. (Blue Screened) So I suspect that because the install never completed that was the cause of my problems. I downloaded the wlsetup-web.exe from http://download.live.com/ and reinstalled it. After this completed, I went back to my Control Panel’s Add/Remove Programs. This time clicking the Windows Live Essentials relaunched the removal wizard like you have listed above. I removed all applications and now life is good.
    thanks for your post and the help.
    John

    Reply
  70. hi ican not uninstall windows live essentials,i go to add/remove click on windows live essentias, click on uninstall and nothing happens. help les

    Reply
  71. if i uninstall windows live messenger do i lose my hotmail messages ?

    No. Windows Live Messenger is a program for Instant Messaging on your PC, and Hotmail is an Email program on the web.

    – Leo
    07-Apr-2009
    Reply
  72. HI IF WINDOWS LIVE ESSENTIALS IS IN ADD & REMOVE AND IT WILL NOT UNINSTALL, DOWNLOAD REVO UNINSTALLER ITS FREE, AND RUN THAT. IT WORKED FOR ME
    LES

    Reply
  73. ok so i didnt look at this how to uninstall manual you made. well i deleted the folder windows live from my program files. then i went into the control panal and and uninstall programs and features. then i uninstalled the Windows Live Essentials but i never got that pop up on what i want to unistall list you got. it just took it off the programs list. yet still i cant install an older version(8.1). it says im still useing the newer version. any idea of what to do?

    Reply
  74. I CANNOT SEE THE WINDOWS ESSENTIALS, FROM MY GUESS IF YOU CANNOT SEE THE WINDOWS LIVE ESSENTIALS YOU PROBABLY WENT INTO PROGRAM FILES AND PRESSED DELETE ON MSN LIVE…
    FACT: NEVER DELETE PROGRAMS FROM PROGRAM FILES IT [edited] UP MY MSN AND T WOULD TO YOURS ALSO!

    Reply
  75. I tried to desinstall WLM 9 but i cant, i tried everything … control panel > uninstall program, removing it from regedit, and so on, i tried also to re install the old one but it said that i still have a newer version, i also tried to reinstall the WLM 9 (same version w/the one i wanna desinstall) but now it said that its corrupt !

    How can i desinstall it or reinstall the same one ??

    Reply
  76. So i’ve taken a good look around, concluding the same as you. In add/remove, wlm has been renamed wle.
    I tried to uninstall it, but to no avail. The application just wouldn’t start. I’ve also tried removing it through the use of CCleaner, but that didn’t work either.

    The only difference between us, in this context, as I can see, is that you’re running Vista. I’m running XP.
    Is there any way you could try uninstalling it on a comp with XP on it?

    Regards.

    TTRM

    Reply
  77. PS:
    Still searching (and done so since I posted a few hours ago (pardon the double post)) and was wondering wether you had any info on this “Run…” command which I see a lot of discussion about.
    msiexec /x {B1403D7D-C725-4858-AACC-7E5FA2D72859}
    When using it (still a bit sceptical about using something I can’t find too much info on), it results in an error message: This action is only valid for installed products.

    Then there’s also a lot of discussion regarding “Zap Messenger”. I myself find it suspicious, yet I see it mentioned near everywhere I look. Some encourage using it immediately. Others insists it should only be a last resource of solution.

    Some info regarding this would be highly appreciated.

    Sincere regards.
    TTRM

    Reply
  78. I uninstalled the Windows Essentials but is still in the Control Panel. I’ve tried a couple of uninstall programs but nothing. It’s still there!

    thank u

    Reply
  79. Hello,
    I’m having the same problem as some people above. I click on uninstall WindowsLiveEssentials but nothing happens. It’s still there!
    What crap, microsoft is getting better at making an upgrade worse then it’s precessor (like Vista).

    Reply
  80. Hi.

    I followed the advice of a friend who said that version 9 was great, and installed it. Well I didn’t like it, so I found out how to uninstall it and did so. I then re-installed version 8.5 which I like a lot. But now when I try and sign in it’s FORCING me to download this ‘upgrade’ which turns my nice 8.5 into crappy 9. I was using 8.5 before and although it was giving me messages saying a new version was available, it wasn’t forcing me to download it. How do I get my previous version back and working??

    Reply
  81. Thought I’d share some info I just found.

    Through advice from a co-worker, I took a look in my register (run…–>regedit) in an attempt to find a way to manually remove wle, yet without causing damage to my computer.

    After a few hours, I finally found what I was looking for; An uninstall string.

    The string I posted in my second comment (2 posts above) was one I found on every places I went to. It was always the same, regardless of place.
    But it didn’t work for me (as per the error message mentioned…).

    The one I found in my registry, however, was different.
    Here’s the one I found, which also worked for me.
    MsiExec.exe /X{0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C}
    Now my trashy wle has finally been removed, and the good, old wlm has been re-established.

    I do not, however, recommend using the above string right away.
    I suggest you rather check in your own registry first, to see if the string is the same or not.
    (And wether or not it is, I still suggest using the one you find in your own registry. a hardly noticable symbol can be different.)

    Here’s the path to follow.

    1: Open your “Run…”-dialog box. (This can be done either by “Start–>Run…” or simply by a key combo; Windows + R.)

    2: Go to this location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
    (Just expand the folders.)

    3: Search through the folders for one regarding “Windows Live Essentials”.

    Once you find it, check (and copy) the “UnInstall”-string. (If it’s not there, you’re either in the wrong folder, or you have another problem than the one I’ve had.)

    Re-open your “Run…” dialog box, paste the string and you’re good to go.

    This worked for me, so I hope it’ll also work for you.

    This solved my problem. However, I can not be held responsible if something goes wrong on your system by following these instructions. All actions performed by you are executed on your own responsibility.

    Reply
  82. Solution of Uninstall Windows Live Messenger 2009?

    1. Go to Start Menu => Run

    2. type

    Msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C}

    Reply
  83. i’ve tried it all(exept for restoring the pc but i think it’s too late for that now):the paths, add/remove list even program files and still when i try to install an earlier version of messenger it says that i already have the new one installed but i can’t find it anywhere!! please help!!!:-(((

    Reply
  84. I was able to uninstall Live but when I reinstalled it and tried to open it, I got a message that said “Windows Live Messenger encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.” It also asks me if I want to send an error report. Do you know what this means and how I can fix it?

    Reply
  85. Thank you SO much. Clear, concise instructions led me to a successful uninstall of this buggy, sneaky version.

    That, and your snappy writing was a pleasure to read. ;D

    Reply
  86. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I HATED that WindowsLive Messenger started every freaking time I turned on my computer and I could NOT get rid of it. I’d rather communicate via donkey than use Messenger, and it was driving me crazy that I couldn’t get rid of it. Thank you SO much!

    Reply
  87. I have tried MVP Vincenzo’s and your suggestion and neither work uninstalling Windows Live Messenger.In control panel I have no repair option. I only have uninstall or change. Uninstall does nothing and never invokes the deinstaller so I can chose what components or all to remove.I tried reinstalling it — does not let me cause it says I have it already.I installed the Windows Install Clean up Utility and although it executes it does nothing but sit there for eternity. Task manager says its running but it never does any thing and does not show any progress. I followed instructions to change the compatibility tab given play keno online I am running Vista.I am at wits end here. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply
  88. wow i finally did it and it was really easy and… it’s gone. Thanks for posting it was finally a easy solution instead of installing software which i dont know/trust.

    Reply
  89. omg this hasnt helped me one bit :( i looked for the windows live essentials, but itz no where 2 be found!! ;( plz HELP!!!

    Reply
  90. i did run Msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C} but after i installed the 8.5 msn it said that i have uploud the new version of messenger in order to continue heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllp

    Reply
  91. i got same problem….but when i click on windows live essentials nothing is happening….also when i copy this Msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C} nothing is happening…help me :(

    Reply
  92. That was very informative. I love this site. It was easy to understand and you explained so well. Definitely saving you to may fav’s.

    Reply
  93. I couldnt get MSN uninstalled as i deleted the folders after the uninstall via add/remove didnt work…

    Msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C}

    Worked a treat, thanks a bunch! ^-^

    Reply
  94. so after 2 days of trying to uninstall this stupid product…I finally found something that worked! Thanks a bunch, this is going in fav’s in case I forget again.

    Reply
  95. So I managed to uninstall the new messenger and installed the 8.5 version.. Problem is I can’t get in because it says there’s a newer version bla bla bla / I have to download the newer version in order to continue.. Is there any way to get around that?

    Reply
  96. WLE appears, as described, in “Add or Remove Programs”, but clicking the Change/Remove button merely changes the cursor to an hourglass for about 1 second, and nothing else happens.

    Reply
  97. You are the BEST!!!! thank you thank you did I mention thank you! I tried everything to get rid of messenger and your site was THEE BEST windows live essentials did it!

    Reply
  98. i have tried everywhere to get rid of the “good” messanger program,my laptop and i thanks you very much but i would like to know is how you know this code to get rid of it ?? :)

    Reply
  99. I too am unable to uninstall Windows Live Essentials by clicking the change/remove in add/remove programs. The hourglass appears for a second or two and that’s it. I am getting zero help from Microsoft with this issue. They can’t seem to understand what I want when I write “I want to completely uninstall Windows Live”. Instead they write back with “we need more information, like what part of Windows Live do you want to uninstall?” ALL OF IT doesn’t seem to register with them. I told them I felt as though I was getting the run around.

    Reply
  100. Thanks man, this really helps. Windows Live was was slowing my computer WAYY down, so I tried to un-install it, but I didn’t know how. This helped lots.

    Reply
  101. I have read the article but I an not sure if I had the beta or not. I have Window XP and I am trying to DELETE Windows Live Messenger so that I can download a clean copy. Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Essentials are not in the Add/Remove Programs or anywhere that I can find on my C-drive, but when I try and download Windows Live Messenger it says I already have it. I have also received error code 0x8000ffff Catastropic failure. What start this situation was that I Windows Live Messenger was failing and when it did not show up in the Add/Remove Programs I went to the C-drive to delete, but there was two Windows Live Messenger Files and in fustration I deleted any and everything I could find that said Windows Live….but still I cannot download Windows Live Messenger. Please help me!!!!

    Reply
  102. Thanks. No more gloating stares from that little person from the bottom right of my screen. I searched multiple times online to find how to get rid of this and yours was the *only* site which had a solution.

    Reply
  103. Thanks GOD. You’re a lifesaver. Messenger 9 really sucked and it wouldn’t let me sign it at all, so I wanted to downgrade the an earlier version, but sneaky Microsoft and it’s CRAPPY customer service wouldn’t tell me how, but fortunately you did. Thanks bud :)

    Reply
  104. I have windows vista and have the same problem. I did a search for windows live essentials but it came up with nothing. When I search for anything to do with Windows Live, it’s a blank search, and when I try to download windows live again, it says I already have it installed on my computer. Any idea as to what I can do? Thanks.

    Reply
  105. I tried to uninstall Live MEssenger and it was in Add/Remove programmes and seemingly did remove it, but it still left some footprint that meant the system thought it was still installed and wouldn’t let me install another one.
    Some handy guy called Leonardo on another site had this solution and it worked for me:

    To uninstall Windows Live Messenger, click Start, then Run if using XP, then type/paste the following and press Enter:
    msiexec /x {0AAA9C97-74D4-47CE-B089-0B147EF3553C}
    its work 100%

    Reply
  106. Thank you Thank you Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings. You explained this very clearly, and it got through my rather distraught mind (I had lost my ability to receive emails thanks to Microsoft’s wonderful new program).

    Reply
  107. I cannot delete my WLM although i trying to do what have been told here. In other hand, I try to reinstalled, but in shown that I have installed the messenger.
    And later, I delete the whole folder of the WLM, but it still the same thing.
    Btw, I using window vista

    Reply
  108. When I click uninstall it goes to the security thing and then does nothing else. I am so sick of this. I have had TWO msn accounts and I am locked out of both on the messenger >:(

    Microsoft SUX!!!

    Reply
  109. I have been trying for hrs to remove live messenger without any luck at all. control panel them Live mail essentials and my machine just sits there and does nothing. Can you please tell me how to remove it from my system. Thanks

    Reply
  110. I can not see any Windows Live components in programs list…
    When I try to reinstall it, it shows that it is already installed on my computer, but it is not working!
    Do not see it and can not uninstall it.
    What to do? I need Messenger…

    Reply
  111. After reading many other forums that said add this and that or delete this and that first but none of them worked until i found your advice, Brilliant worked first time thank you very much !!

    Reply
  112. After reading many other forums that said add this and that or delete this and that first but none of them worked until i found your advice, Brilliant worked first time thank you very much !!

    Reply
  113. I can not see any Windows Live components in programs list…
    When I try to reinstall it, it shows that it is already installed on my computer, but it is not working!
    Do not see it and can not uninstall it.
    What to do? I need Messenger…

    Reply
  114. I consistantly kept tring to find how to uninstall but I couldn’t figure it out…. and I am usually really smart when it comes to computers. So… I used google (not adv.) as a search engiane and I searched how to uninstall ”Windows Live”…. but I couldn’t get a good answer until i came to Leo’s sight.

    P.S. If it wasn’t for Leo I would be stuck right at this very moment!!!

    Thanks
    Leo!

    Reply
  115. Okay guys i had the same problem as some of you. I wanted to uninstall windows live beta so i went to control panel and did it the obvious way. Later i decided i\’d made a hasty decision and wanted it back. So i went back to the site i downloaded it on and it didn\’t work. it said i still had it even though i swore i uninstalled it. Zapmessenger also didn\’t work for me and neither did those Run codes because the file i had deleted couldn\’t be found.

    Finally after days of searching for the right solution i discovered a site and downloaded a program called Windows Install Clean Up which can be downloaded here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
    This is completely safe, no viruses or anything if that\’s what some of you are worried about.
    After it\’s downloaded go to Start, All Programs, look for Windows Install Clean Up. A box will come up with a list of every thing you have on your computer. Scroll down the list until you find Windows live Essentials, Windows live writer, Windows live Messenger and whatever else you want to get rid of. Select them one at a time and click delete. And that\’s it! you\’re done. From there you should be able to install whatever version of messenger you want.

    This works seriously so try it:)

    goodluck

    P.S i copied this message i wrote from another site, im trying to help as many people as i can who are having this issue as i realize trying to get rid of wlm 9 is almost impossible to do. i gaurantee this works.

    Reply
  116. It’s good advice to remove the window live messenger but unfortunately, I could not remove it from my system. When I change/remove the Windows Live Essential, it didn’t ask me to choose the program that I need to uninstall. After the Window Live Essential is removed, the Windows Live Messenger is still in my system. could you please give me more advices to solve this problem?

    Reply
  117. hey thanks a million, i was really getting irritated searching everywhere trying to find the uninstall feature for windows live messenger, thanks again. these site is really helpfull.

    Reply
  118. IT WORKS AND I FIGURED OUT HOW, install everything from this msn in your sistem and then try uninstalling it as shown here.

    thanks a lot it worked!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  119. hello leo! umm, ive done those steps before when I was trying to uninstall the beta version

    however, wen i uninstalled “windows essentials”, no dialogue box appeared, it was just removed without leaving me any options.
    and now i kept trying to install another msn messenger but it keeps saying that I still have the beta version installed.

    i hope you could help…
    but thanks for reading!
    :D.

    Reply
  120. I tried that but it said
    windows live messenger encountered a problem and needs to close.!

    so now I cant delete it!
    please someone help me!

    Reply
  121. well i have the same problem except i want to get rid of the older version of windows live messenger and get the newer one. so i went to the control panel to uninstall it. Then I went to the website to get the new one but it said i already have it when I dont!! and i am pretty sure I didnt get the beta verison! please help!!! now i have no msn!!

    Reply
  122. and the clean up thingy didn’t work on uninstalling the essentials, i hv the same problem as shelo ..

    PLEASE I NEEED HELP …. !!!

    Reply
  123. Thank you very much for this helpful information. I have uninstalled this large, clunky bundle of joy and now my computer starts up much faster as a result. Thank you.

    Reply
  124. umm i still have a problem i did everything but still when i try to install windows live messenger 8.5 it tells me that i have a newer version …. Plzz HELP.

    Reply
  125. Ok, I’ve done everything you said, and found the windows live essentials thing before entering this site but my problem is that i see no dialogue box, nothing happens…NOTHING. It’s really frustrating; plus msn.com wont open on my computer. HELP ME PLEASE!!!

    Reply
  126. Oh my God, thank you SO much for this! My MSN was giving peple viruses and I just couldn’t find a way of getting rid of it! Thank you!

    Reply
  127. Leo: I searched and tried various methods to uninstall Windows Live Messenger. When I found your instructions I thought “this is too simple”. It worked beautifully!! Thanks.

    Reply
  128. i dont have windows live essentials listed in my add rmeove i have windows live writer i cant delete that i get a message saying the patch package cannot be opened. when i try to reinstall it all it tells me the download cannot be completed because the it was cancelled and i know im not cancelling it.. the components in my add remove are windows sign in assistant and upload tool and the writer, the reason i wish to uninstall it all is because some how after n update messenger lost the bility to keep all ids and passwords n the sign in window.. everytime i close out the puter it resets to no names looses everything.. and we have to always ented all the ids and passwords to get into messenger. i am not sure what but now on my desktop after updating msn messenger the same thing is happening there to.. i didnt restrict no permissions and allowed the changes it asked when it downloaded the updates but the whole messenger thing is a now a mess. i have not looked in desktop to see if window live essential in there. im more concerned with the laptop..

    Reply
  129. part 2.. further to.. uninstalling msn and no live uninstaller in the add control panel, also i think i did install the windows when i do a search for the messengers i have a few shortcuts to windows windows live and then this i have this entry messenger-uccapi-0 when i do open it up theres a folder called tracing opens up has empty folder of WPPMedia then under says the same windows live messenger-uccapi-0.uc..UCCAPILOG File 0 kb and when i try to open that tells me no program to open it then when i serch online for the program it comes up blank.. lol what a mess

    Reply
  130. Leo thank you SO MUCH! i’ve been trying to uninstall this wreck for weeks and finally it works! Again thanks for all the help =))

    Reply
  131. yes , windows live essentials rly cant be uninstalled easily from the computer but that run option is rly good
    its like getting a program from its hideout
    are you with me
    thanks a lot LEO

    Reply
  132. go on to program files, click windows live then on installer. go on to wlarp or some variations then the un-installer will come up (:

    Reply
  133. i uninstalled my messenger like this and it has messed up my computer bad. now when i try to go back and install a older version it won’t let me do it. i would like to install an older version how do i do it?

    Reply
  134. So should I restart my computer after uninstalling the MSN Messenger?

    Doesn’t hurt. (Typically if a restart is needed you’ll be prompted, but as I said … it doesn’t hurt.)

    – Leo
    26-Jun-2009

    Reply
  135. hey msn went funny on me and decided to not show any of my contacts so i wudnt kno hus online. I uninstalled the messenger and wen i go to re-install its still saying i still have i. ive restarted but the same thing keeps happening. im geting realy frustrated. im in windows vista home..so any help wud be much appreciated. Thanks Russ

    Reply
  136. ok so i have tried doing it your way – i have tried doing it the normal way but i can’t seem to get it off. When i try to sign in on msn it gives me the error code of 8e5e0152 but i can’t find an error code on the windows help site – i’m rather confused

    Reply
  137. I have problem. I dont have Windows Live Essentials.. I cant delete it..But still it says that i have messenger and i cant delete it too.. Coz i cant found live in my computer. I hate live messenger..

    Reply
  138. Ok so i tried this “Windows live essentials” but i choose to repair instead but it didnt fix it. so i went to do the uninstall but it wont let me!

    Reply
  139. i follow all the instruction u had shown above and i get exactly the same u got but when i try to install the new messenger i had found that the new installer told me that i already have messenger on my machine.So any solution to solve this problem????

    Reply
  140. THE ADD/REMOVE WON’T UNININSTALL WINDOWS ESSENTIALS NOR WINDOWS LIVE TOOLBAR, IT’S THERE AND I DON’T USE IT, IS THERE ANY BACK DOOR TO UNINSTALL THEM?

    Reply
  141. I uninstalled Windows Live Messenger from the add/remove but when i decided to install Windows Messenger again, its says i have to delete the latest version before i can installed another version. How can I unisntalled this.

    Reply
  142. Thanks for explaining how to get rid of that piece of extreme crap software. I cannot believe the amount of lousy [edited] Microsoft makes…my God, I tried 20 times to import and add contact persons form the 4.7 version of Windows Messenger and it never worked.

    Reply
  143. The add/remove won’t uninintall windows live.I cant getted off I try to install the new messeger the told me i have to ininintall windows live.Please help me

    Reply
  144. Hi, i have a question how i can uninstall window live messeger from my computer? my computer is XP. Look i did delete all da programs that goes with messeger even messeger to from your example, but still when i try to download another messeger its says that i hav messeger already but how to unistall it? pliz pliz help me. thnks from earlier.

    Reply
  145. I have done what you said and it will not uninstall…when I hit uninstall it just blinks and does nothing. HELP

    Reply
  146. I did find “Windows Live Escentials” in my add/remove programs listing, but when I selected uninstall it just vanished, and now I’m unable to reinstall either it, or WLM. Has anyone else encountered this that could help me? Thank you in advance.

    ~Rei S.

    Reply
  147. Useless atricle. You have taken your time to eventually say what MOST people would already have tried in th first place. This problem is like a virus. It’s very hard to get rid of and it’s not a simple uninstall.

    While I don’t doubt there are other issues at play for some people, the number of psople thanking me for this article paints a slightly different picture than you claim.

    Leo
    28-Jul-2009

    Reply
  148. Thanks for the article.
    I have done what you said and it will not uninstall…when I hit uninstall it just blinks and does nothing.
    I tried but no luck!!!

    Reply
  149. Ive tried to uninstall the windows live essentials and it blinks and then doesnt uninstall and then i rebooted my computer and it didnt work. What should I do?

    Reply
  150. i deleted one file on the file messenger i clicked restart the file but it didnt work i trued unistaking it but still didnt work plsplspls help me

    Reply
  151. Hi Leo

    I have tried to follow your advise. Everytime is try to remove the Windows Live Essentials file it asks me for permision, I click continue and then nothing happens….

    Any Idea what could be going wrong here?

    Reply
  152. My Windows Live Messenger (Dutch language version)will not open, be removed, or cancel removal. (WLM does show up in my add/remove program list.) I ran through the Remove routine twice, and both times the removal and then the cancellation thereof halted (I let it sit for half an hour, just in case), then I could not get rid of the “progress” window. When I tried to reboot/shut off my computer, it would not, so I had to unplug it.
    I just uninstalled other programs without any problems at all.
    I downloaded Perfect Uninstaller, and … it would not initialize.
    How do I get rid of WLM?

    Reply
  153. No rocket sience in this article at all, I did all that as advanced users would normally do. The problem is that the (inf probably) file telling the system that LIVE has gone is still there and that’s why you cannot install the 8.5-version which is also what you CLAIM to be doing in the very first line.
    You do not deliver any clue of info on how to do it, go ahead and do that please!

    Reply
  154. I have the same problem as Danie Horn above. Clicking “continue” does nothing besides exercising my finger!

    Please help!

    Reply
  155. I try to reinstall messenger because It just dissapeared one day when I tried to open it, but it says there is already an installation in progress, ive deleted everything I could find left behind to do with it, including a file in C: Program Data like WLM something or other to do with installation but no luck?

    Reply
  156. Hello,
    I have deleted evrything of MSN, Messenger, Windows Live what i could find by using the search option now i have nothing left and it keeps saying i’ve installed evrything but i can’t find anything i have nothing anymore i don’t know what to do now plz someone help!!!

    Reply
  157. You rule, Sam! I clicked a link on the Messengergeek page you recommended and from there eventually found this updated page:

    http://messengergeek.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E3785B1281BBDA1!1723.entry

    …which is where I found the magic line to finally, FINALLY uninstall those pesky 143 megabytes of Windows Essentials:

    “… To uninstall Windows Live Installer, click Start, then Run if using XP, then type/paste the following and press Enter:
    msiexec /x {C6CA8874-5F22-4AF0-9BE3-016BF299C536} ”

    You flew in to take up Leo’s slack on this one. Thank you, Captain America!

    Reply
  158. I had the same problem and did follow your instructions but the uninstall process is not successful rather the opposite happens. ( It was installed to my computer again. Do I need to unsubscribe from Windows Live Messenger to fix these things?

    _________________

    For consumer friendly articles about printer cartridge supplies, visit

    Reply
  159. Everytime I’d try to uninstall from Add/Remove Programs my computer would crash until I tried click “Start, then Run if using XP, then type/paste the following and press Enter:
    msiexec /x {C6CA8874-5F22-4AF0-9BE3-016BF299C536} ” Thank you! Finally, back to normal..

    Reply
  160. When I click Change/Remove – nothing happens. I don’t even get an option to uninstall. I only installed this to use once (to talk to a friend) and now I appear to be stuck with the rubbish.

    Reply
  161. I downloaded windows Liev Messenger by mistake. I didn’t realize I did it.
    I found your page and tried the unstall from Live Ess. and it worked perfictly. It is gone gone.
    Thak you so much.

    Reply
  162. I tried both ways on doing this I removed it all already but it says its still on my computer. I tried the run thing but that doesnt work is there anythign else I can try?

    Reply
  163. Thank you so much Leo! All morning, I used every method in an attempt to remove live messenger. Luckily, finally, I found your site and was able to remove Live Messenger using the above method. Microsoft certainly makes this task almost impossible to discover without some help! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  164. Great article – but the admonition against install Beta software is misplaced as MSN Live Messenger actually forces you to upgrade before you can use the program. Idiocy. What other program compels a user to update before it can be used? It should be a choice. It’s my computer, not MS’s.

    Reply
  165. i have a problem im on window’s visa and its a diffrent format to the control pannel up there how do i get to control pannel add/remove page?
    please help ive been using ebuddy for 5motnhs now its killing me!!

    In Vista it’s called “Programs and Features” further down the list in Control Panel.

    Leo
    28-Aug-2009

    Reply
  166. AH!!!
    God Leo, you have NO idea how much I love you right now!!!
    I had to uninstall WLM from my computer because of some program issues, and now it is finally GONE!!

    This is the sixteenth site I’ve been on tonight, and the ONLY one that worked!
    THANK YOU!!!

    (Definately coming back here to sort out any other issues!)

    Reply
  167. Thank you so much for your clear explanation about getting rid of MSN Live Messenger. I like others was fooled into downloading the Beta version and have regretted it ever since – couldn’t find it on the computer to de-install it until I found your site.

    I’ve bookmarked you for life !

    Thanks again

    Reply
  168. Thanks so much for showing us how to get rid of Windows Live Messenger! I’ve been trying to delete it for the past few months, and nothing’s worked until I found this page.

    Reply
  169. Thank you, thank you, I finally was able to remover the Windows Live Messenger popup. Your illustrations did it, I’m not very computer savy, but gave your directions a try and IT WORKED.

    Reply
  170. i installed windows live like normal.. I tried to log in to messenger but i couldnt. So i went to uninstall windows live. I found other entries of windows messenger on my laptop i deleted them too. I tried installing a messenger 7.0 but it wouldnt let me. it says ‘you have a newer version of messenger already installed please remove that then retry installation’. BUT i already uninstalled the new messenger.. i really need help.

    Reply
  171. Please oh please help me! I windows vista which has a different set up then what you have so I still can’t uninstall please help I’m desperate :(

    Reply
  172. Your method for removing windows live messenger doesn’t work for me. Running xp. I find the windows live essentials in the Control Panel’s Add/Remove list but clicking it highlights it but nothing further happens. Ken

    Reply
  173. Thank you sooo much for the great advise! While Live Mail is a lifesaver for me since I can easily check all my mail accounts in a sec (no problem ever in any version), MSN 9 is a total disappointment! Lots of problems and especially when trying to open the cam…. Imagine you download them together but MSN can’t work when Mail is already running!!!

    Reply
  174. Hi,

    TY as well for the help your offering, but like some others, I’m also unable to remove the install w the instructions given. In my case though I think might’ve shot myself in the foot. Just taking off what I encountered first working my way down on add/remove programs, I removed some smaller, but no less important WL files of the program (silverlight +1 other) first and might’ve dumped a file integral to the uninstall before getting to the bigger umbrella of WL Essentials. Is that possible to be held within that way an/or trigger that response? Either way I’m hosed because I cant get rid of as is and cant locate a link to fix. My system is now running very sluggish. Thank you.

    Reply
  175. Hi, I can’t find the windows live essentials on my add/remove list, there’s nothing with windows live in that list. I’ve tried getting an older version of messenger but it says I have a newer one and must uninstall that one first but I can’t get rid of it… T_T help please

    Reply
  176. I found the Windows Live Essentials but I can not uninstall. I click the remove.. nothing happens. I also tried to click change & nothing happens. Please advise!!!

    Reply
  177. i’ve encounter the same problem, can’t find the window live essentials in add/remove program list. Is there any others way to totally remove window live messenger 9 from my pc. Running on XP

    Reply
  178. i’ve uninstalled the windows live essentials, but it doesn’t work for me..i tried to install other version of windows live messenger and it said that i have the recent version..
    what should i do??

    Reply
  179. I cant find the window live essential at add/remove there too. Neither can i reinstall it as it keeps say i have the latest version in my computer. How come??? How to fix this???
    My computer freeze so often once i use the new window live messenger. How come so many problem still force us to get the latest one? I am happy to use older version if can.

    Reply
  180. I have a problem with my windows live messenger 9.I installed it,but it doesn;t work,so i want to uninstall it.I can find it in change/remove list,and i did all the procedure,but the problem is that i can’t uninstall it even after i click remove.Can somebody help me please?

    Reply
  181. Looks like its a forced upgrade now, but i got around it. Im using windows xp and version 8.1 of windows/msn messenger. It wouldnt log in and wanted to force me to upgrade. I got around that by running it in windows 2000 compatibili
    ty mode.

    Reply
  182. There is an uninstaller available at msn-tools.net that seems to be working for people having trouble uninstalling. I cant say it works myself as i didnt need to use it so if u try it, u do so at your own peril.

    Reply
  183. Nothing in this article was releavant since windows live essentials simply never showed up in add remove programs. But the comments section helped a great deal. Thanks.

    This has been a big pesky problem. Thanks to Claude I picked up the uninstaller from msn-tools.net uninstalled Windows Live Messenger rebooted and it seems to be gone for good. Previously I had tried everything including tips from Windows Live Team at Microsoft. Nothing had worked.

    I can’t thank Claude enough. Thanks a lot!

    Reply
  184. Thank you so much for the instructions for uninstalling this. I searched everywhere and was about to give up hope. Thank you for making it clear and concise.

    Reply
  185. i thought of that to begin with; only problem is, when it got to “select the programs you want to uninstall”, the option “messenger” didn’t appear. still, i tryed deleting the mail anyways (which was the only option that was there); okay, the mail was deleted, but the messenger is still there! and “windows live essentials” isn’t in the add/remove programs anymore… i don’t know what else to do…

    Reply
  186. Well…I did what you said except I didn’t get the “select the program you want to uninstall” window.
    and it seemed like uninstalling.
    but now that I want older verions, it says that I already have a newer one.
    I go to add/remove programs and there is nothing there. what do I do?

    Reply
  187. when i click on add or remove progams on windows essentials it wont let me uninstall it it just freeze’s for a few seconds and does nothing what do i do?

    Reply
  188. I Uninstall Windows Live Messenger but my Outlook Express e-mails cannot open when I forward it.
    I cannot even use e-mail stationery from Outlook Express sites.
    The Windows Live mail change the settings and I do not know how to save stationery like:
    Program files, Common files,Microsoft shared, Stationery
    It’s saving it like this but I cannot OPEN it
    Can you please help,
    Thanks

    Reply
  189. this did not work for me.. I have been racking my brain to get the simple messenger back and it will not come up for me. one day i turned my computer on and instead of it just signing me on instantly like usual this different sign on box appeared and when i clicked sign in it asks me for a .net password using my email address. I tried the few passwords that it would most likely be and it kept giving me an error message telling me i could not sign on. Can you help me?

    Reply
  190. I had similar problem with MSN Windows Mwssenger, and it was making my laptop slow, (at leat I think it was, i still need to re-boot and find out!!). The above simple instructions about Beta files and uninstalling MSN are very simple, and job done!!! its really that simple. Thaks guys.

    Reply
  191. Hello Mr.Leo Notenboom,
    Thank you for the posting on how to uninstall Windows Live Messenger but unfortunately for me that was not enough the “Windows Live Essentials” was not present in my “Control Panel’s Add/Remove list” so instead I used:
    http://www.revouninstaller.com/uninstall_delete_remove_programs.html
    suggested in another post. Though I got the portable version not to have to install it and I finally got rid of that really annoying “Windows Live Messenger”!

    Reply
  192. I HAVE DONE IT!
    TYPING THE COMMAND DOESNT WORK
    ZAPMESSENGER DOESNT WORK
    INSTALLING MICROSOFT FRAMEWORK DOESNT TOO
    ONLY USING WINDOWS CLEANUP WORKS!
    HOPE IT HELPS!

    Reply
  193. I have the same problem uninstalling Windows Live Messenger. What I use is Final Uninstaller. It’s much easier to operate, and it really work.

    Reply
  194. I used your tip to uninstall Windows Live Essentials 128 meg, but on clicking the Change remove no further options open up, the hourglass thinks about it then nothing! Next best option advice please. I’m wary about downloading other fixes. thanks,

    Reply
  195. I can’t find Windows Live Essentials in the Control Panel -> Add/Remove List. I don’t know how to uninstall this program and i can’t seem to download another version of messenger either

    Reply
  196. That would have been very helpful “if” windows live essentials was in the listing but I seem to always have to do things the hard way. So with that in mind what it took for me was to use a program called CCleaner. Look it up, its free and best of all it will list programs that the add/remove programs list fails to. From here you can remove each individual component of the new windows live. For instance if you didn’t like the windows live photo album, easy as pie one click and its gone.

    Reply
  197. I use it because Windows mail (which automatically includes me) often falls on my connection so I decided to uninstall. I went to Control Panel ADD Or remove program and Windows Essentials and click uninstal and I thought that uninstall, but not when they actually install the messenger would say that the first I have to uninstall, but I do not know how so please help! So I messenger to find us on ADD programs and remove us anywhere. Please help what to do? I hope the answer.

    Reply
  198. I removed windows live essentials and everything else i could find related to it, but when i tried to reinstall it, it kept saying i already have it. When i removed it from the Add/Remove list, but I never got the uninstall window. how can i REALLY uninstall it properly O_O i tried searching my computer, but I can’t find the files ANYWHERE

    Reply
  199. Control panel, add remove programs. Click “Add remove windows programs” and wait for it to load. After it does, scroll to bottom and uncheck the box that says windows messenger. Hit ok Go to “run” and paste this in

    RunDll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %windir%INFmsmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

    Reply
  200. I removed windows live essentials and everything else i could find related to it, but when i tried to reinstall it, it kept saying i already have it. When i removed it from the Add/Remove list, but I never got the uninstall window. how can i REALLY uninstall it properly O_O i tried searching my computer, but I can’t find the files ANYWHERE

    Reply
  201. I installed Windows Live Messenger 2009 (aka Messenger 9) and it’s not working for me so I want to uninstall it. Problem is it’s not listed in Control Panel. Like others uninstalling Messenger 9 I’ve deleted the files from the systems disk but whenever I try reinstalling Messenger 8.5 it says that I’m still using 9.0. Should I give up and just reformat my whole system?

    as u said I went to Control Panel’s Add/Remove list. there was nothing. even windows live essential type nothing else. what will i do?

    Reply
  202. I’ve been trying to update/uninstall WLM for a while. It kept telling me I need to have admin rights to do this which I had. I finally used Windows Installer Clean Up utility and removed all Windows Live entries and was able to reinstall WLM!!

    Reply
  203. I removed windows live essentials and everything else i could find related to it, but when i tried to reinstall it, it kept saying i already have it. When i removed it from the Add/Remove list, but I never got the uninstall window. how can i REALLY uninstall it properly O_O i tried searching my computer, but I can’t find the files ANYWHERE

    Reply
  204. Trying to remove windows live messenger it wont allow me to do so or upgrade it , I also cant remove windows live essentials which is its umbrella file. any ideas please ?

    Reply
  205. I got a problem! i just reformatted and installed Windows live messenger, and i keep getting an error no matter what if i try to sign in, so i downloaded an older version, i wen to add/remove and uninstalled all windows live related essentials including windows messenger. the problem is when i try to install WLM now it says that it is already installed on my pc! but evrything included in essentials isnt. its like the uninstall didnt work for the messenger, the “windows essentials” isnt on the add/remove list anymore so i cant re-uninstall it, i can still open windows live after it says its been “uninstalled” from the add/remove list. so i went to the windows live directory in program files and deleted the folder, when i try to install it says its already installed, so i undone the delete until someone can help me out, anyone have any ideas how i can delete it properly??

    Reply
  206. So that’s where it has been hiding! I am downsizing the contents of my notebook for optimum performance. The Windows Messenger was pre-installed and I just couldn’t figure out how to get rid of it since I don’t even use it. It also kept popping up unwanted. Annoyance resolved! Thanks a heap!

    Reply
  207. Yes, I finally uninstalled Windows Live Messenger, but now it uninstalled my previous version as well and I don’t know how to reinstall it. Help, I don’t even know what I had before.

    Reply
  208. i,m trying to uninstall live messenger only to find it has a file extension attached i need to get rid of any suggestions ,,,

    Reply
  209. Hi,
    I tried to uninstall windows essentials but it won’t work. my system is asking if i want to allow it and i say “ALLOW” and than nothing… nothing happens.
    What do i need to do?

    Reply
  210. when i click on “change/remove” windows live essentials from the add remove programs list, it won’t do anything. now what do i do?

    Reply
  211. I did everything the guide said, and the final uninstalled screen came up, but when I try to reinstall it says I already have it! (yes, Windows Live Messenger was checked and it told me it was uninstalled).

    What do I do!?

    Reply
  212. Thank you,thank you, thank you!! I started a new isp with Windows Live as it’s home page and e-mail provider, and have been going crazy with the IM being the 1st thing to pop up with each sign-on. I’m not a teenager, and dont need to be in 24hr contact with anybody!! It’s gone!! The uninstall worked perfectly on Vista.

    Reply
  213. I have attempted this many times but i keep on getting an error message saying Windows Live Messenger is not installed correctly and when i try to re-install it, it comes up with the ‘Done’ window, it has a red cross next to Windows live messenger saying it is not installed but finished. How do i completely uninstall it from here?

    Reply
  214. I have deleted windows live essentials already and then when I go to reinstall windows live essentials it says I already have everything I don’t know what to do HELP!!!!

    Reply
  215. This was really helpful! Lolz, my only problem with uninstalling was that I couldn’t find the control panel haha! I’m so dense. Thanks a lot =)

    Reply
  216. Leo: In case no one else has tried it, I thought I would update you on REVO UNINSTALLER and its succcess in removing Windows Live Essentials from my computer. WLE ignored my attempts to remove it via the Add/Remove page in the control panel, but succumbed quite nicely to REVO. Thanks for all the help.

    Reply
  217. thanks for the suggestions. Windows Live Essentials is not listed. Neither did Reevo uninstaller discover WLM on my laptop.
    Then i came across a blog which gave a command and a reader provider more info on where one can find the product id that needs to go with the command.
    each component in Windows live Essential has its own little code.
    For e.g., for Windows Live Messenger,
    Start > Run,
    msiexec /x {B1403D7D-C725-4858-AACC-7E5FA2D72859}

    Where can u get your code?
    Either visit the guy who gave the solution,
    http://jsbi.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-easily-uninstall-windows-live.html

    To find your own {product ID} follow these instructions (mentioned in the comments on the above blog),
    open regedit
    clicked on HKLM (LOCAL MACHINE)
    clicked on software
    clicked on microsoft
    clicked on windows live
    clicked on messenger

    this is where u need to copy the code of MSI of ur product

    it would be like this
    {A85FD55B-891B-4314-97A5-EA96C0BD80B5}

    copy this and come at run comand

    paste this it with this comand

    msiexec /x {A85FD55B-891B-4314-97A5-EA96C0BD80B5}

    Reply
  218. i had some trouble with Windows Live so i went to Control Panel to delete it from my computer and install it again. but i cant delete it. it’s the only program that cant be deleted? i don’t know why when i press this ” change/remove” nothing appears? and when i try to install Windows Live again there writes
    “Fatal error during installation.
    Please close all other open programs,and then try again. It looks like another program is preventing the installer from working. hr:0x90070643″

    Reply
  219. Leo, Great tool you have here. I had problems with the WLM 2009 and with your step by step procedure i finally remove it.
    Thank you, continue the good job

    Reply
  220. i may have read somewhere that you have to use live
    messenger to use windows mail programs (i don’t,
    but use tbird and firefox). tbird’s junk files are
    useless and do not erase immediately and keep coming
    back in next days mail-so am using mailwasher free now.thanks for the several years of internet fixes.

    Reply
  221. I’ve tried a couple of things that didn’t work. this was the simplest of them all and it worked great! thanks so much!! :)

    Reply
  222. i looked for windows live essentials on the uninstall/change list but even that wasn’t there, i want to reinstall messenger because i have tried everything to solve error code 80040154 but nothing has worked, does anyone know of any solutions for this?

    Reply
  223. i still can’t get windows live essentials uninstalled. i have went to control panel, clicked on wle and clicked remove….then nothing happens. nothing comes up for me to hit uninstall. i have installed microsoft installer clean up and that doesn’t work….any other suggestions??

    Reply
  224. I did see that the new Windows Live Messenger was larger than the older versions. Now I know why, thank you and this was very helpful.

    Reply
  225. Thank you VERY VERY much! this is also for me the ONLY article that helped me uninstal messenger. It really is very simple, I just didnt know what Essentials was. Apparently nobody else (exept you) does…

    Reply
  226. AWESOME!!! thanks so much. i just upgraded to windows 7 & the stupid messenger kept popping up even AFTER i would close the stupid thing!

    Reply
  227. Leo you are the Best … hands-on therefore informed, literate, concise and right on. This damn thing has been popping up almost as fast as my anger at these damn unwanted social upgrades. Thanks for making it soooooo easy, knowledge is a wonderfully dangerous thing. You listening MS?

    Reply
  228. Ok, so when I go to the control pannel and click on change/remove Windows live essentials…it acts like its going to pop the screen up…but doesnt and then goes back to the control pannel…and I can’t log into my messenger..so what do I do…help me please! Thanks

    Reply
  229. I keep having the same problems with the other MS programs, MSN and Bing infecting my machine and hijacking my settings. They’re a pest just like Messenger, et al. I’ve tried a lot of things including loading my machine with so much protection that it stopped operating properly. How can I deal with these other Microsoft pests prevening them from accessing and/or hijacking my machine.
    Please, piblish my email address and perhaps someone will advise me on how to deal with this aspect of the ‘nightmare’.

    Reply
  230. Thanks for the information. I do not use messenger. Its propemsity to start when I reboot and pop up menus unexpectedly was driving me crazy!

    Reply
  231. I too was haveing headache removing Live Essentials and Windows Home Server.
    I installed REVO Uninstaller and it uninstalled both and cleaned the registry and hard drive of all leftovers. What could not be removed during initial scan I was told will be removed during next reboot. As Of now I am very impressed. A very good program that seems to do what it says with a minimum of fuss. If withing the next 3 weeks I have no problems I will purchase the pro version to support the vender. Oh, By the way the very first thing REVO did was to create a restore point. Well thought out.
    Thomas
    Roll Tide 2009 BCS National Champions.

    Reply
  232. nearly going nuts with the telus people here in canada, and as you mentioned, contacting windows just sends you in circles, not the people i talk to on the phone, but the instructs on the screen again, send you back to where you started. ph. #, is avail, butit is of course, daytime only. will try. thx for your info.

    all the best,

    mdp

    Reply
  233. I spent all day looking for suggestions on how to disable or uninstall Windows Live Messenger. None of the advice worked until I cam to this site. Thanks for helping me with the problem. Your solution was simple, direct AND it worked!

    Joel

    Reply
  234. i found this extremely helpful, i’ve been trying to uninstall windows live messenger for a long time now. thankyou so much. appreciated.

    Reply
  235. Hi there i knew the steps you have said to take already but they havnt worked for me. If i go to do it again it just keeps letting me uninstall it time after time but it obviously isnt uninstalling. any suggestions

    Reply
  236. Ok, so I have deleted every little thing about windows live messenger, essentials, microsoft outlook, everything….I cant find a folder file or program remotely related to it but when I go to reinstall it still says I already have the messenger. Its a very frustrating task just to get it reinstalled.

    Reply
  237. nope this is [edited] and it dosnt work…. the windows lie essentials thingy isnt there, it says i already installed msn, but it isnt there and i also cant install it again…. ive tried many softwares, but none of them works… i think i should people should just do a system restore to factory condition….

    Reply
  238. i can’t get windows live messenger to uninstall i’ve tried and followed instructions. i’am stuck with this windows live messenger

    Reply
  239. I was able to uninstall the new messenger live but I have two hotmail addresses and I am still unable to get into one of them. Everytime I try to login into the other one it keeps comming up with the error code 80048823. I have taken all the necessary steps to rectify the problem but to no avail. I can’t even get any sense out of Windows Live Messenger Team to tell me why I have been cut off from my other email address and all my friends I used to chat with on messenger live. Any suggestions please would be most apreciated.

    Cheers
    Paddy

    Reply
  240. I tried the contol panel, uninstall routine and I couldn’t uninstall Windows Live Essentials. I tried the Revo uninstaller and used the slowest option and it uninstalled everything including leftover folders and files and registry entries.

    Reply
  241. Thank you. :) I’d been struggling with this all morning this was the first website that seemed to offer the step I needed.

    Reply
  242. Ive had problems with Windows live Messenger 10 .. tried to unistall .. but just wouldn’t remove from the ‘Programs’ installed file .. hmm soo I downloaded and tried Revo Uninstaller .. yep that cleared it … but again couldn’t download because I ‘already had latest version’ Soo this is what I did :

    1) Clear the entries in the Windows Installer database by using the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility:

    a. Download and install the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility from this site: http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/9/d/e9d80355-7ab4-45b8-80e8-983a48d5e1bd/msicuu2.exe

    b. Start the utility. (Click Start, click All Programs and then click Windows Install Clean Up.)

    c. On the list of Installed Products, select all instances that have (All Users) Windows Live on it. To make sure that you are removing the right programs, click on one item at a time then click on the Remove button until all entries with (All Users) Windows Live are deleted from the list.

    d. Click “Exit.”

    2) Restart your computer to make sure that all changes made will take effect.

    3) Download and install the complete installer of Windows Live Essentials products from http://g.live.com/1rewlive3/en/wlsetup-all.exe

    a. Save the file to your Desktop.

    b. Select Run after the download is complete to start the installation.

    c. Follow the on-screen instructions.

    4) Once the installation process is complete, drag the wlsetup-all.exe file to the Recycle Bin (this file is no longer needed).

    and whoop whoop it LIVES! … all the problems seem to have been ironed out with messenger and its full steam ahead YE HA

    Reply
  243. I used Revo, but it listed almost 2000 registry keys, some of which were clearly not restricted to Windows Live (like .rss etc), so I chose not to delete them, but I DID delete the leftover files it found. I was doing this because when i ran MSN it told me I needed to upgrade, but the web installer wouldnt do anything as it reported it already installed… So I tried removing it (Windows Live Essentials). Well, the web installer STILL claims it is installed! (the messenger component). This is very frustrating… I am quite familiar with OSes etc being a programmer by trade, but my kids want to use MSN, and I just cannot get the thing runnable, despite hours of trying… Any help as to how to purge this monstrosity from my system is very welcome ;-)

    Reply
  244. Wow this was the most helpful site for this thank you a bunch i was very worried. Very eay to understand and all correct. This also works on vista and 7.

    Reply
  245. Thank you so much. I’ve been trying to figure a way to uninstall Windows Live Messenger without accidently uninstalling something that might have been important. Now it’s uninstall and I want to tell you I appreciate your help!! :]

    Reply
  246. Thank you sooooooo much Whylthyme!!!

    I did try many ways and what Leo suggested but it didn’t work then I read your comment and it works now. Thanks again :)

    Reply
  247. I had tried no less than nine different schemes for removing MSN, none of which worked worked for various reasons. As soon as I opened Leo’s column, I saw that here is someone who knows whereof he speaks. MSN is gone gone gone. Many thanks and kudos Leo.

    Reply
  248. I am having issues with my windows live essentials. I went to Window live help, i did all that it instructed me to do. But it will not remove it self, where or what can I do now? I have no messenger available to use. I went to run and installed appwiz.cpl and enter too.

    Reply
  249. I just tried your directions for uninstalling Windows Live Messinger, but I don’t get a “Change/Remove” button … only a “Remove” button. If I continue on, then it says that continuing will leave my computer unprotected and implies that everything in “Essentials” will be removed. I chickened out and did not proceed. It looks like they keep trying harder to prevent removal of Live Messinger. What now???

    Reply
  250. Excellent I hunted with google and tried a variety of old fixes but as soon as I seen this one “It Worked”, clear, concise, easy to follow; this is what good advice should be.
    Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  251. Thanks, very helpful! I think it’s key to “exit” from the Windows Live icon in the toolbar. That’s what i’ve overlooked in the past.

    Reply
  252. When i hit change/remove, nothing happens.. The uninstall thing doesnt come up.??? What do i do now?? Becuase messenger is making my computer so slow, and is taking up heaps of space on my hard drive.

    Reply
  253. You are the ONLY one who has helped me get rid of this! It was hidden from the list and you helped indentify it so I could uninstall. Thank-you, Thank-you Thank-you!!!

    Reply
  254. Wow, your instructions made it so easy and painless to remove the much hated Messenger! Thank you so much, and keep up the great work!

    Reply
  255. Thanks for your information. I would like to know more. I have been trying to do that your advise,but it doesn’t work. I hope to know more detail. Thank you.

    Reply
  256. Great. As soon as I didn’t see an uninstaller for Messenger I Googled the issue and found your site. Following your instructions I was able to get rid of it in moments. Not being extremely computer savvy it would’ve been a while before I tried uninstalling the Windows Live Essentials. Great help. Thank you.

    Reply
  257. Hey, I’ve tried following all your steps and everything went smoothly till I was installing Msn 8.5 where an error popped which said I still have not uninstalled windows live. Help pls? I’ve just reformatted from a Windows 7 to an Xp

    Reply
  258. Hi,
    I have tried to uninstall windows messenger following your instructions in respect of Windows Live Essentials, but I do not seem to be able to get it to work. Is there some variant associated with Windoes 7. At the moment, Windows 7 is not allowing even the pop up list when I click on uninstall. Any suggestions?
    regards
    neil

    Reply
  259. Thank you sooo much ! It installed itself with an update. After a bit of googeling I found your site and uninstalled it easily. BIG help !!

    Reply
  260. Hi, I have tried to uninstall Windows Messenger via Windows Live Essentials following your instructions. Nothing happens it wont let me uninstall it, I have tried a number of times. Do you have any solutions? PLEASE …… Katie

    Reply
  261. Thank you so much! I was afraid to touch the “Essentials” even though I didn’t remember it being there before. Glad there’s someone out there with more courage than I have who can figure this stuff out!

    Reply
  262. I have tried uninstalling Windows Live Messenger many times, following these steps. Usually, it has worked in the past, but now, it won’t do it, saying that I have a safety mode on. I can’t seem to find the safety mode to know how to turn it off. Any help would be grand.

    Reply
  263. Thanks alot. I’ve been looking for a successful method for half an hour, and this is the first helpful post I’ve found. Worked, too!

    Reply
  264. I am sorry but this does not help me in any way cause windows live folder is still in the start menu programs with windows live call and windows live messanger. I want this prog off my machine but ic annot find it in the control panel. Any ideas?

    Reply
  265. Hi
    i downloaded a theme for wlm and it ended by messing it up. i deleted windows live messenger but i but not the rest of the windows software. i wanted to r install it but i cant as it has been deleted and i tried download it again but it said i already have this product. Help?

    Reply
  266. OMG Thank you so much, I dislike Windown Live Messenger because of its tricky ways, and with this ‘hiding under Windows Essentials’ is showing that it will get trickier and trickier. I want nothing to do with that program. Yahoo Messenger rules (except for the new advertising bug they added at the bottom of the message window)
    Thank you once again for this article. Successful uninstall :)

    Reply
  267. I am having a hard time trying get MSN messenger to install on my desktop which runs on Windows XP. After Norton’s technicians went through my system,it won’t start. I was unable to uninstall it from “add/remove program” even though i followed the steps you outlined above. When i click on Windows Live Essential, black pop up came up for a second and then disappeared without showing me the Uninstall wizard. So i deleted the program files from C:\Program folder. Now every time I try to run wlsetup-custom.exe, the pop-up wizard informs me that messenger is already installed. Therefore, I am prevented from installing it. Please advise.

    Reply
  268. thank you so much!! i haven’t been able to find where i could uninstall it from the control panel until now. i have been trying to get this off my computer for ages haha thank you :)

    Reply
  269. i have tried to uninstall windows live esssentials from my computor which runs windows 7 64bt i keep getting a message unable to uninstall I have tried windows installer clean up, wwhich works great for everything BUT windows essentials. I have also tried going into programs and deleting all files associated with windows essentails. Keep getting same message or onew saying i need permsission from trusted installer. or i need admin privlidge but no button to go there(i have admin priv but not for this) whats going on

    Reply
  270. Thank you sooooooooo much! I went to so many so called sites and they either wanted to charge or gave vague instructions! Sneaky of Windows to hide it in the windows essentials! This was amazingly easy! Thank you again!

    Reply
  271. Thankyou so much. I havn’t been able to use my Windows Live Mail with Messenger on but as soon as I deleted it… Bang, it works. Thanks a million :-)

    Reply
  272. I just uninstalled all of the Windows Live components but it’s somehow still on my computer. I’m not quite sure what to do. I really need help with this.

    Reply
  273. i dont have windows live essentials in control panel and i have no idea how to remove windows live mesenger 9. Please help me with this.

    Reply
  274. Windows Live Essentials shows up in my Control Panel Uninstall a Program list, but when I select it and then click uninstall/change, nothing happens. Looks like my uninstall of Live Essentials is broken. I downloaded a fresh install and tried to install it over the current install, but it says I already have all the programs on my computer and doesn’t give me the option to install over the old install, just to close the installer. What a mess!! Ideas would be most welcome.

    Reply
  275. I uninstalled the Windows Live program ( messenger and mail). After going back into my Outlook Express Program, I found out I lost a bunch of my messages. Not sure how to get those back.

    Reply
  276. I typed in “add/remove” in the search bar on the control panel because I also could not find the button. It came up as one of the search options then you just click LIVE and then it takes you to that screen. Hope that helps :)

    Reply
  277. Thanks so much!! I hate this messenger stuff and it always has to be uninstalled. I just could not find it. Bless you!

    Reply
  278. This is great, up until I followed this instruction my OE was slow loading, I had to do many procedures to get to read my email. But thankfully this has cleared up by getting rid of Windows Live, what a horrible program

    Reply
  279. This is very frustrating: having followed the advice, I’ve reached a dead-end because when the “Select the programs you want to uninstall” part comes, there are no programs listed! What do I do now?

    Reply
  280. Thanks a million. Finally some advice on the Internet that actually works immediately. I have spent all morning tryin to unistall this rubbish which is slowing down my machine and couldnt find a way to do so until I read your advice. Nice one

    Reply
  281. Thank you for the help it worked perfectly for me. This is the first time I’ve downloaded messenger and I noticed in most of the comments that everyone liked the earlier version of it. I was just wondering if I should put it on my computer instead because I do like having messenger.

    Reply
  282. Thank you, I was able to uninstall the live Messenger, I did not know where it was I have Windows 7 and I was afraid to touch windows. You were a great help. Live messenger it is an annoying program.

    Reply
  283. The way i got to the uninstaller since i could not find it in add/remove.
    1.open my computer
    2.open local disk c:
    3.open program files look for a file called (Windows Live)open that
    4.look for a folder called installer and open that
    5.there should be a folder called wlarp.exe open that, you will have 2 options uninstall or repair pick uninstall next step you can then uninstall all or pick what you want to uninstall.

    I know this is the long way around to do this but, after searching google when i could not find the uninstaller, this is the only other way i could find to do it.

    Reply
  284. I tried the Revo free version and it worked! After installing Revo uninstaller, I had to go to Options and select Uninstaller and check the box to show System Components. Then Windows Messenger was visible.
    The Uninstall process actually acted like it was installing it but then reached a point where I could select all the files (2 steps to do this) and delete them. Then it was gone!
    Thanks for the pointer.
    Operating System is Windows XP Professional.

    Reply
  285. Thank you so much for the information, it’s really helpful since Microsoft didn’t cover much on how to remove the pesky messenger. >_>

    Reply
  286. Leo , I’ve tried to uninstall Windows Essentials the way you explained , but it wont do anything !! It asks permission then when I click on yes , nothing happens.BTW i’ve also tried the way Karl say. Still nothing.HELP

    Reply
  287. I went into Add/Remove Programmes in Control Panel, clicked on Windows Live Essentials, clicked Remove and nothing happened! No “confirm” – just nothing. Am I frustrated? Very.

    Reply
  288. I also went into Add/remove Programs in control panel, clicked on windows live essentials, clecked remove and nothing happened! Nothing happened. Please help!!

    Reply
  289. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! that solved a huge problem i’ve been having with this [edited] messenger! will keep an eye on this website later on :)

    Reply
  290. Thanks for the help with removing Messenger. I like to keep my machine running with what I like rather than those things forced on me. I was concerned that I was doing the wrong thing but followed your advice and am grateful.

    Reply
  291. Thank you very much! this is the only ifomation i have found that works and i must of looked at about 30 sites!
    Thanks x

    Reply
  292. hey all, i’ve done what was said on this site but it came up with an error and stopped uninstalling before it could remove the program, all it did was remove “windows live essentials” from the list in control panel, it is the v14 beta that i have on my computer, need it gone so i can go back to a working version…

    Reply
  293. I have been using Revo uninstaller for several years now and I have yet to find anything it will not un-install, including MS Live everything.
    I like the fact that it cleans left overs from the registry and HD after the program has uninstalled itself. Also in the tools section clicking the Autorun Icon gives you full control of what gets loaded at system start-up.
    And it is Free!

    Reply
  294. Didn’t work for me. The right-click on “Windows Live Essentials” asked for an admin password and then did nothing (silently ignored me). Deleting the software from Program Files asked for admin privilege many times and then said it wasn’t permitted. Eventually deleted the relevant .exe from Program Files and that seems to have suppressed it for the moment.

    Reply
  295. Thank you sooo much! It was really starting to bug me and now it’s gone!! Yaay, and your instructions were very easy to follow and concise!

    Reply
  296. Thanks a lot I really wanted to delete programme this due to some problems in the past with an old computer this was really helpful. Much appreciated.

    Reply
  297. Sweet! I just purchased a new laptop loaded with Windows7 Home 64bit. I don’t use “messenger”, so it was driving me nuts. I went into “essentials” in Programs and removed everthing except the mail program. Thank you, very much!

    Reply
  298. I have uninstalled Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Essentials. I still have the Windows Messenger popup on startup. How do I completely remove the popup? I have windows 7 on my laptop. Any help will be appreciated.

    Reply
  299. when I try & uninstal msn Messenger a comment comes up ‘cannot unistall wrong paramenters’
    tried Revo but unsure as to what I am being asked to uninstall

    Any help please

    Thanks in advance

    Tony

    Reply
  300. This Program completely removes Windows Live Essentials Beta Programs and any other program that cannot be unistalled from your computer

    http://www.revouninstaller.com

    I am giving this program 4 stars for it’s abilities to do what it’s suppose to do.
    An advance scan completely removes the program of choice , plus it also removes the bits & pieces that are splatted all over your computer when you download any program. This program removes , scans for leftover files of the program and shows the results of Leftovers then removes these as well. Try it! It Works.

    Reply
  301. Thanks so much!! I found this article very helpful.I searched all over for “Messenger’s” File in my computer and it was as if it didn’t exist! I wanted to uninstall it, because it slowed my computer and I really didn’t use it anymore.

    Reply
  302. I am trying to uninstall windows live messenger and i went to “add or remove programs” on my computer and it just won’t let me remove the program. If you could give me some edvice on what i can do it would be nice thanks:]

    Reply
  303. Sorry Leo … “change/remove” in the ‘essentials’ box doesn’t bring up any list or uninstall anything. The entry merely greys out and then comes right back to blue and sits there, unimpressed. The search for truth continues.

    Reply
  304. Thank you for helping me uninstall msn messenger -They do hide well msn messenger wellin add/remove programs, in control panel – I sure couldn’t find it –
    I googled how to uninstall msn messenger & found your web page with the question from someone – or some others – It worked – God Bless – Nancy –

    Reply
  305. I am using Windows 7 (it looks different than the pictures in your article),and I could not uninstall Windows live messenger using control panel. I followed the suggestion to click on Windows Essential, and then Uninstall button, but it does not work. The page does not move. Some other times, when I click on uninstall, a window would appear saying that I should stop uninstalling one program before starting another… no matter how much I try, it does not work. I am not good with technology and would not risk getting software that may make things worse.

    Reply
  306. Windows live mail is a horror. Reminds me of how hard it was to activate mobile 5 (&6) on my cel. Verison iphone 4, I can’t wait.

    Reply
  307. HI,I needed to delete my MSN from my PC. I deleted it off my taskbar but when I went into the control panel to uninstall it.this is the message that comes up:
    ‘we are sorry we cannot continue this wizard. You may have been disconnected from the internet,make sure you are connected to the internet and then try again” please help me with this

    Reply
  308. Hello! I have Window 7 but since the last update from Windwos Live Messenger I can only open but my E-Mail box I can’t oppen. Please can you help me.

    Reply
  309. im trying to delete windows live messenger and the control panel doesnt have the add/remove. how can i find windows live messenger to uninstall

    Reply
  310. Hi
    I know this thread is old, but wanted to let you know that the free version of revo Uninstaller did get rid of windows live essentials.
    I have win XP pro, and the uninstall command did not work for this from the add/remove programs or from the command line in a dos window.
    Thanks for the tip.

    Reply
  311. Thanks for the help. This is really useful because since getting Windows 7 operating system the default was set for the computer to go to sleep after 30 minutes. So the problem comes when you are trying to install something large like Windows Live Essentials components. The computer may shut down somewhere on the install and cause a system startup problem. So I’m hoping that this can be uninstalled from safe mode so that my friends computer will be up and running again soon. Thanks again.

    Reply
  312. i used advanced system care to remove windowslive essentials and it left messenger there..
    I hate windows they always put lots of crap in that you never wanted that slows down your pc .
    Messenger automatically fights to start up when i use hotmail even. I am a manual guy and dont like machines making decisions for me

    Reply
  313. I removed it al but it is still on my computer, it said succesfully removed, and its still here. Now I cant find that windows essentials because I removed it, does anyone has any tips?

    Reply
  314. I hate windows live….It is taking control of what i should install…if i choose to install only the messenger application it doesnt let me do it. They want me to install all those applications that i dont need.

    I decided to erase windows live and Im using Digsby…I m very happy.

    Thx for the instructionsto get rid of Windows essentials….!!!!

    Reply
  315. i tried revo uninstaller (free) it was ok and worked good but still only shows the programs in my program mananger. I cant seem to remove versions still present. It does not list all files. I still cannot find all messenger and windows live files.

    Reply
  316. Hey. So im trying to solve this whole day.I tryed to reinstall my WLM2009, and first i’ve made was to start programme called “zapmessengers” who should erase all WLM content. And then i started installation. It went normally, downloaded 150 MB of content, and then installation process started, but when it comes to 100%, rollback process starts and installation fails. I dont know what can i do. I tryed cleaning my registry, tryed removing WLM tracks or some clues, but everytime same happens. What can i do ? im using win xp sp3 btw..

    Reply
  317. thanks for the tips. messenger stopped working for me and it was a nightmare to find the uninstall. i think they changed the name so they could force more programs down users throats with the installer

    Reply
  318. Thank you so much for this. I spent a good hour looking by myself for a way to uninstall that darn thing. When I stumbled upon this, I couldn’t help but mumble to myself “Those sly Microsoft bas**rds.”
    Again, thank you.

    Reply
  319. The Control Panel uninstaller for Windows Live did not work and I used the Revo-Programm. Works fine on Windows 7!!! (In the Control Panel clicking in Windows Live did not bring up the selection menu and only the safe mode of Revo did the trick.) THX

    Reply
  320. I clicked “Windows Live Essentials” in Add/Remove Programs and nothing happened. So what I did was:

    1. Run regedit
    2. Browse to:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

    3. Search for “live”
    4. Double-click “UninstallString”
    5. Copy the value into the Clipboard
    6. Hit Windows key + R for Run dialog
    7. Paste the UninstallString value into the Run dialog

    This worked for various Windows Live components such as Writer. Some it didn’t, so to uninstall manually I removed the following keys:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Live

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Live Writer

    And removed the following folders:

    C:\Program Files\Common Files\Windows Live
    C:\Program Files\Windows Live

    Finally got rid of the remaining mess using CCleaner.

    Reply
  321. Thanks Leo

    I hate Messenger and have been hopping since it somehow got on my machine. Won’t be there for long thanks to you. :)
    JOhn

    Reply
  322. Hi Thanks so much for that, but can I uninstall all of the windows live stuff, or is it needed for my computer to run? I dont think i want stuff like windows live sync, and windows live uploader etc, can I just uninstall it all? Thanks very much, don’t want to ruin a new computer, but want it free of trash and freebies

    Reply
  323. THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! The Windows live messenger popped up every time I cut on my computer and it truly got on my nerves, but I could not figure out how to get it off. Thank You!!

    Reply
  324. This hasn’t worked for me although I figured this out for a previous version of Live Messenger, the latest one is really proving impossible, I haven’t even got ‘live essentials’ showing in my programs list!

    Reply
  325. Hopefully this uninstall thing works. got so tired of seeing the pop-up each time I lit up the pooter. The mothe-ship must have dowloaded it when I was sleeping. Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  326. Thank you, Leo – it’s easy when you know how! I followed your instructions to a “t” and hopefully Messenger is now a thing of the past.
    You’re great and I’ve subscribed to your Newsletter. …… Lee

    Reply
  327. Hi Leo, I realise I’m contributing after the event by a few years but I just stumbled upon this.
    I used Revo Uninstaller on Windows Live Essentials and lived to tell the tale.
    After Revo does the standard uninstall it then finds that 2,500 registry items still remain… !
    After deleting those it finds that 655 files still remain (mine were mainly in programs(x86).
    I bit the bullet on both counts and selected all entries for deletion.
    Revo was on the default setting, ‘moderate’ (the third option). I also dumped some bloatware from my new Asus laptop (using the fourth Revo option).
    Noticed that it boots much quicker as a minor bonus.

    Reply
  328. I used Revo Uninstaller. I’ve used it now for about two years with no problems. Unlike Glynnux, I used the advanced setting and found 7776 Registry entries to delete. I recommend it highly.

    Reply
  329. i tried all the above and i cannot remove that damn,live messenger,maybe i missed something but i don’t think so.in my toos or start i do not have a settings am i missing that too.HELP ME

    Reply
  330. Thank you sooo much! Microsoft tried to get tricky in hiding windows live messenger! Who uses messenger anyway? I got rid of it following your instuctions! Thanks again!

    Reply
  331. Thanks so much for this post Leo. I’ve tried several things to get rid of Windows Live Messenger, but they didn’t work. It was driving me crazy. Now it’s gone. You da man! Woohoo!

    Reply
  332. Thank you!! We are at Benalla Computer Group & Marg has got her computer back from repair, with Windows Live Messenger. We Googled, we tried every trick we could think of – and then I went to Ask Leo, and found the solution! Thank you.

    Reply
  333. I tried it and it worked,,,THANKS!!!…I was really getting tired of this problem,but after following your instructions I finally got rid of it…THANKS AGAIN!!!___TLO

    Reply

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