[Software Update] Windows Live Essentials 2012 (Wave 5) Available for Download

UPDATE: Release of Windows Essentials 2012 (Wave 5) version.

Finally Microsoft has released the much awaited “Windows Essentials 2012” (Wave 5) suite (formerly known as Windows Live Essentials). The version number of this new suite is 16.0.

Windows Essentials is a complete suite of free programs from Microsoft which includes:

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  • Windows Live Mail (desktop email client)
  • Windows Live Writer (blog publishing tool)
  • Windows Live Messenger (chat/IM client)
  • Windows Live Photo Gallery (image viewer program)
  • Windows Movie Maker (video editing program)
  • Windows Live Family Safety (online parental control program)
  • OneDrive (SkyDrive) app (for cloud storage management)

Windows_Live_Messenger_WLM_Without_Aero_Glass_Border.png

These programs help you in managing your email accounts, messages, photos, blogs and contacts. You can edit and share photos and videos, access your email accounts and calendar schedules, publish posts to your blog or website, chat with your friends, access your files on multiple computers as well as cloud storage and keep your kids safer online. Windows Essentials is an all in one suite which is absolutely free to download.

The new Windows Essentials 2012 version includes new SkyDrive (OneDrive) app for Windows along with the new versions of previous programs such as Mail, Messenger, Writer, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker and Family Safety. Microsoft has dropped a few programs such as Windows Live Mesh, Messenger Companion and Bing Bar from this new 2012 version.

You can download the new updated version using following links:

Windows Essentials 2012 requires Windows 7, Windows 8 or later and is available in 48 languages including English, French, Dutch, Japanese, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, German and Russian. Windows XP and Windows Vista are no longer supported.

Thanks to our reader “jusil164” for the update…

NOTE: This article is updated whenever a new version of Windows Essentials is released. So keep checking this page regularly.

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Published in: Mobiles and Internet, Software

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

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  1. Windows Live Essentials is very good and have beautiful interface.

    I can found alternative for almost all of the programs in the Essential package.

    Windows Live Messenger = Pingin, Trillian (proprietary), Meebo, Miranda Messenger, aMSN, Digsby, etc.
    Windows Live Mail = Thunderbird, Microsoft Office Outlook (commercial), etc.
    Windows Live Photo Gallery = Google Picasa, XnView (free for personal use), etc.
    Windows Live Movie Maker = Avidemux, Lightworks, AviSynth (controlled entirely by scripting (without a GUI)), etc.
    Windows Live Family Safety = K9 Web Protection (free for home use), etc.
    Windows Live Writer = Zoundry Raven, ScribeFire (browser based), BlogJet, Qumana, Thingamablog, etc
    Windows Live Mesh = LogMeIn (service-based remote connectivity, free with limited functionality), etc.
    Bing Bar = Google Toolbar (?)

    All except: Windows Live Messenger Companion, Windows Live Sign-in Assistant, Microsoft Outlook Hotmail Connector, Microsoft Silverlight.

  2. for offline installer on another language, only change en for es (spanish, for exaple)

    english: g.live.com/1rewlive5-all/en/wlsetup-all.exe
    spanish: g.live.com/1rewlive5-all/es/wlsetup-all.exe
    french: g.live.com/1rewlive5-all/fr/wlsetup-all.exe

  3. Hi Askvg,
    Why does online installer doesn’t work, I download it many times, and the time I will install it, it would get an error.

  4. It’s called Windows Essentials now. It’s weird because the Windows Live Essentials page still gives you the old Wave 4 download but without Messenger which is now standalone.

  5. Sorry for the double post.Can the xp version of Live messenger still access the live messenger network to chat,etc..?

  6. Hey Vishal….always have a keen word of appreciation for ya posts….this time I need ya help as im receiving certain errors while installin win essentials>>>firewall error<<< but my firewall is on and enabled….inspite of which I still get the same error….any solution/fix?

  7. ^^ Please provide the full error message details. If its about firewall, you should try to disable firewall. May be your firewall is blocking the installer to download required setup files.

  8. windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-live/essentials-error-0x80070643-or-0x800706d9-enable-windows-firewall <<<<this is the error which I get while tryin to install win essentials……

  9. Nope Vishal….all I use is Defender(MSE which is the built in defender in win 8) and nothing else besides it…no other security softwares besides CCleaner(which shouldn’t be of any concern to the error(I assume)…(by the way i’m usin win 8 pro…genuine version………………..so….thing is I still get that error…. 🙁

  10. mabe you have a slow internet connection
    use windows update . download and install all important and recommended updates of windows
    :hunter:

  11. Hello Vishal,

    This may sound out, but I trust you may know a way to work around this problem.

    I have downloaded the Offline installer : but every time I nearly complete the installation, it (the software) demands to go ‘Online’ to make a connection with a Blog.

    However, I don’t have a blog nor do I want this particular PC to go online. (nor do I have another PC to install it onto).

    Is there a hack of some sort that will allow me to ‘trick’ the program into thinking that contact has been made with the internet in order to fulfill that one final requirement ?

    It seems very odd to me : that MS would deem to call this an ‘Offline Installer’ when you need to be on line to complete the installation.

    Please help if you can.

    Thank you.

    Q

  12. @Qwertius – Have you installed Windows Live Writer ?? If yes , then this occurs . Go to Control Panel -> Select Windows Live Essentials -> Select Change.. Then Remove Writer

  13. Hello Addy,

    Forgive my ignorance, but I don’t fully grasp what you are suggesting.

    To me what your saying : is that I simply remove / delete the Live writer program.

    Well if so : how is that going to help me ?

    Perhaps I am misunderstanding you : but surely if I remove the program : then the program cannot be run at all ?

    The problem is for the moment that the program does not install : it actually leaves me no other option but to quite the installation process because at that last part of the ‘Off-Line’ process – actually looks to connect to the internet and then to the Blog that I have nominated.

    Without that connection : it refused to continue with the install process.

    So : I hope you can understand where the problem lies…

    Aka : the installation of the off-line program – is unable to be finished unless contact is made with the Blog.

    And the important point to stress here is that upon quitting the program’s install process : none of the programs are actually ever installed.

    Q

  14. I’m not Addy, but yes. He is telling you to delete Windows Live Writer. Preferably the whole old Live Essentials you have. Go to Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a Program.

  15. will running the windows update for essentials mess up my pirate copy of MS office 2013 … which I’ve turned off updates for

  16. Doesn’t work easily with Windows 7. I’ve downloaded Essentials several times and never got it to load up. Really stupid that Microsoft wants us to switch to Windows 10 but pretends Live Mail & Essentials will work on 7. I will upgrade to 10 at the end of the free offer period in May ’16, but can’t wait that long for Essentials & Live Mail. This is a dumb way to manipulate consumers and waste their time.

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