Update: – click here for an updated version of this tutorial.
With the great little program A-Patch for Windows Live Messenger you can completely customize Windows Live Messenger and MSN Messenger. Continue reading for a brief but detailed tutorial on using A-Patch.
- Start by determining which version of Windows Live Messenger you’re using. To do so, select the ‘drop down’ button (see image below) from the top of WLM, then choose Help -> About Messenger.
- A small pop-up window will appear. Look for the version number. Visit the A-Patch download page and download the appropriate version.
- Extract the .exe file and double-click it to launch A-Patch.
- Review the options on the initial Welcome screen. If you didn’t install Windows Live Messenger in the default location, click the … button and navigate to the folder where you installed it. Otherwise, click Next.
- And here’s the first of several options screens. Determine which features you want to enable and/or disable by placing a check in each of the appropriate boxes. If you hover your mouse over any of the selections, you’ll get a more detailed description of that option. And don’t worry – anything you change can be undone later. Click Next to move to the next screen.
- Again, more options. Review them, select them, click Next.
- Review, select, Next.
- Review, select, Next.
- Wow there are a lot of things you can change. Review, select, Next.
- And again..
- And again..
- Finally, the last screen. Once you’ve made your final selections, click the Apply button.
- A warning pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm that Windows Live Messenger is closed. If it’s not, close it now. Then click OK.
- If you didn’t close Windows Live Messenger, the patch won’t work.
- A-Patch should now display a “successfully patched” window. Leave Launch MSN Messenger checked, and click Exit.
- And check out your “new” Windows Live Messenger!
- If you want to undo anything, or make additional changes, simply run A-Patch again.
I go to open this file, and it freezes up the folder it’s in.
gostaria de tirar o virus do msn sem perder os meus contatos pelo amor de deus me ajuda naum sei mais oque fazer
hi!
since I downloaded windows live messenger I keep getting pop up wep sites.
I uninstall the messenger and they stopped, I would liket o install the messenger again but prevent the pop ups. Any suggestions how to prevent pop ups!!
thanks
Be careful, it froze my WLM 8.5.1302, I couldn’t launch WLM anymore after I applied some settings. I had to restore those settings in order to use my live messenger again. And the “remove Advertisment” tool doesn’t work for me, I still see ads on bottom of the main window. Sorry but this sucks… maybe it’s only for the U.S. (english) versions of MSN, WLM respectively.
lol 15 contacts..
It works for me the ads on botton OF window live messenger is removed with this A patch thanks
a-patch is brilliant makes msn usable again. shame about not being able to change settings in latest version. by the way if you gt forced to upgrade by microsoft then just install messenger 4.7 works a treat and it only uses 4MB . newest vrsion of msn if very tyrannical.
i love my winodows messanger buy i wish i can make it look more pritty.
It’s definitely not a virus! stop wining people!
this is real, I’ve been using this for a long time
@ana gonzalez:
go to msgplus.net and download messenger plus, there are tons of skins or you can create your own. HTH
I uninstall all the Windows Live crap except Live Messenger, and then when I want to patch Windows Live Messenger I startup in safe mode and run A-Patch. I don’t have any issues after that. I am not saying you have to patch it in safe mode, I am just saying it seems to avoid any problems with services running that cause the “MSN Messenger Still Running” problem.
is there anyway to remove windows live messenger on start up? i keep closing it down but it always pops right back up. and also, how can i customize it to have my pic