Windows Live - How it works

Windows Live
How It WorksThe new Windows Live is a free, ready-to-use suite of online products and services designed to help you sort through the clutter and bring all the pieces of your online life together in the one place, with one login.

Already using Windows Live Messenger or Windows Live Hotmail? Then you already have a Windows Live ID. Your user name is your Windows Live ID, and it gets you started with all the online services — including 25GB free storage, easy photo editing and sharing, online groups, and more.

Access them all on Windows Live Home at home.live.com.

Need a Windows Live ID? Sign up here.

Windows Live Home - one place for all your stuff

Stay in touch with your contacts! The "What's New" feed keeps you up to date with your network of friends and their online activity. See who's posted photos, updated their bogs or what's going on with their social networks like Facebook and Twitter. You can also check your Hotmail and chat with your friends. Your Windows Live Home page helps you stay connected.

Share yourself with Windows Live Profile

Whatever you're doing on Windows Live and your other favourite social networking sites - like tweets on Twitter or photos on Flickr - automatically updates on your Windows Live Profile, so sharing your entire online life becomes simple. You're also in control, you can show your profile to everyone on the Internet or just your close family and friends.

How-to guides & tutorials

Create a dynamic display pictureCreating a dynamic display picture is one of the most entertaining ways to personalise the new Windows Live Messenger.

Update your Facebook status from MessengerWhy would you want to switch between Facebook and Messenger just to write the same status message?

POP3 has landed for HotmailPOP3 you say? Well, what is that exactly? It might sound like jargon to a lot of us, but the idea is really simple. Here's how to activate it.

Sharing files with SkyDriveSkyDrive really is the hidden gem of the Windows Live suite — it's your key to 25GB of free online storage, so you'll never have to worry about where to backup again!

Photo sharing in the new MessengerWindows Live Messenger allows you to share photos in an entirely new way by dragging and dropping them into your conversations.

Import your contacts into Windows LiveThe new Windows Live lets you pull in contacts from a whole range of social networks and services such as Facebook and Linkedin. Here's how.

Family Safety

With Windows Live Family Safety, you can monitor and control what your children do online.
Read more. Toolbar

Get one-click access to Hotmail and more, no matter where you are on the web.
Read more. Spaces

Set up your blog with Windows Live Spaces and express yourself by sharing your thoughts, photos, and more.
Read more. Writer

Writer is a full set of tools to help bring the best out of your blogging on Windows Live Spaces and other blogging sites.
Read more. Mail

Manage all of your e-mail accounts including Hotmail and third party accounts using Windows Live Mail.
Read more. Hotmail

Faster and more secure than ever, Hotmail is more than just another email account, it's a hub for your life online.
Read more. SkyDrive

Skydrive allows you to store, access, and share your files with friends or co-workers, from anywhere online.
Read more. Photos

The new Windows Live Photos takes all the sweat out of getting your photos to the people closest to you.
Read more. Mobile

The new Windows Live for has arrived for mobile, and you'll be sure to find a feature in this version that you can't do without.
Read more. Profile

Easily share who you are and what you're doing online with the people closest to you.
Read more. Calendar

Easily schedule appointments, set reminders, and let others know when you'll be available.
Read more. Messenger

Messenger is the classic online product that allows you to connect instantly with the people closest to you.
Read more. Groups

Whether it's your team or family, Groups is the place to get everyone talking and sharing online.
Read more. Photo Gallery

Find, fix, and share your photos. It's the best way to manage your photos and then publish them to share or print online.
Read more. Events

From casual get-togethers to major bashes, Events is your one-stop-shop for planning an occasion.
Read more. Movie Maker Beta

Movie Maker lets you turn your photos and videos into great-looking movies and slideshows to share online.
Read more.