MSN.Com Gets An Overhaul After Ten Years
MSN.com is one of the most popular websites on the Internet with roughly 100 million unique visitors per month that visit the website.
The design of the Internet portal has not changed a lot in the last ten years. Users who are visiting the old MSN page may notice a lot of links and elements on the page, which according to Microsoft, leaves many users with the feeling that the page looks cluttered and confusing.
Microsoft has recently made the decision, after running a couple of surveys, that the MSN page needed an overhaul. And that overhaul is now available as a preview now live.
The best way to see the changes on the page is to display the old and the new MSN homepage as images:
The first image shows the old MSN page in all of its glory.
The second screenshot shows the new version of the MSN page after the redesign. You may notice immediately that it has fewer links and larger fonts.
The new page looks much cleaner and more interactive. Microsoft claims that it cut the number of links by almost 50%. While that may be true for the links that are displayed visually, it is another story if you analyze all the links on the page. The new MSN page sports 219 external links currently compared to 186 on the old page. These figures are subject to change but it currently means an increase by almost 30 links on the MSN homepage.
The number of objects on the page on the other hand was reduced from 46 on the old page to 29. The total size increased on the other hand to 192568 bytes from 135594 bytes which can be largely attributed to the larger photos that are displayed on the page.
The new page should on the other hand load faster for Internet connections faster than 128 Kilobytes per second thanks to the reduced number of objects that need to be loaded. Here is what Microsoft has to say about the new MSN homepage:
The clean, new MSN is designed to be the best home page on the Web, with powerful Bing search, the top news and hottest entertainment, and convenient access to some of the most popular social networks — all in a fresh new look. Based on customer input, the new design has 50 percent fewer links than the previous home page and a simplified navigation across news, entertainment, sports, finance and lifestyle. In addition, sophisticated technology powers the home page to deliver personally relevant information and improved performance satisfies people’s need for speed.
The new homepage will be gradually enabled for visitors from the United States with the option to access the preview MSN homepage at anytime and from anywhere. What's your opinion on the new homepage?
Update
We have discovered a way to get the old MSN back, at least for now. Visit the second part of this article entitled How To Access The Old MSN Website.
Trying to get back the old MSN
MSN, I had for 10 years & now something changed !
im glad there are more complaints it doesn’t make me feel better but at least I know im not the only one bitching it means just one thing that im right and makes me feel better notify or not notify makes no difference
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you
hire someone to do it for you? Plz reply as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thank you
i hate??? go back old one
How do I get my old page back. I have several web addresses stored on the page that I need ASAP!
I LOVE the new website
it has been four months since we were asked if we were in favor of the new home page. I said yes and a little more. so far no change. will it ever happen? wuy do i get an old home page thar has been coming on foe nearly a year? I hope the guy on it has been able to cure his drinking problem but I am tired of seeing him. spdowling@msn.com
I want my old home page back. The new one sucks. You get no gold star. This page is slow. It doesn’t have as many ready options. The colors remind me of Martha “the crook” Stewart. What’s with this opinion pole. Not. You fixed nothing. Put it back.
It took them ten years to come up with a website that looks like a little kid in kindergarten made it. Don’t they have any people working at Microsoft that knows anything about web design and the internet…I know they don’t have anyone working for them that knows anything about computers.
Good thing I designed my own home page
MSN Had better give a chopice to change colors or back to the Od MSN page because I havebrain damage an am ready to sue microsoft for breech of contract Trade Mark is my own.
Where are my sunglasses? It’s too freakin bright!
It wouldn’t bother me so much if they didn’t change it back and forth on me every time i load.
Thumbs down. I’m changing my homepage. Goodbye MSN.
How can MS continue to foist this mess on the users when 99.9% of everyone hates it? Man, are you guys dumb or what?
http://msnmember.msn.com/
try this link to get the old page back. Worked for me without clearing history, blocking cookies, etc. Go to the site and make it your homepage. Tools> Internet Options> Use Current (Home Page info). Tell everybody you know that is upset over the MSN change to navigate to the new address and reset the home page to this address. Like all sites it is monitored for traffic so maybe the morons at Microsoft might get the idea if more traffic is going to the old page than to the new one. Note to Microsoft: If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Ever heard of “New Coke”.
The new home page really sucks! It blows chunks! It stinks!
why change what works? I do not like the new MSN at all. Bing is still nowhere near as accurate as Google when searching. There are so many people out there that bash Microsoft, why add fuel to the fire by changing one of your most solid products? Seems silly. Change for the sake of change is not smart.
I found a way to get back to old blue msn.com homepage.
Open IE and select Tools>Internet Options>General Tab>Browsing History. Select Delete then delete temp internet file & cookies (or delete all works) accept changes and close IE. Re-open IE and see if the old blue msn page comes back for you. I did this and it worked for me.
didn’t ask for Bing either- Bing sucks, was better before! The new MSN home page REALLY SUCKS.. is too glaring & bright , format is poorly crafted.& mis-arranged.. leave it the hell alone! I don’t know who msn “listened ” to>>
certainly wasn’t most of the posters here or me! if this is what we have to work with, I’m gone from msn..PERIOD!!!!
I only want the old MSN page as home page. I want to know how to make my customization to a green page standard. I do not want the new preview page. How can I stop this from changing the looks on MSN on my PC?
The new msn homepage takes much longer to scroll and navigate. Changing immediately. More evidence of the arrogance, haughtiness, and contempt of Microsoft.
I typed one and was told morre os less to go to hell
I have been getting a ancient web page and have never been able to get an up to date one beginning my day on the computer. I go to favorites and click the home page note that is the first thing listed and up comes a fresh up to date. page . I am sick of looking at the drunk on the old one.
the new home page suck!!!!
this new page sucks. Once again someone did not think of the consumer first. I swiching to google
i,ve been use to msn cause its been easy for me to access my hotmail and now it takes me forever
How to get the “old format MSN homepage” back.
Go to uk.msn.com and make it your home page.
Tools > Internet Option > Use Current > Apply > Ok
Delete your Temporary Internet Files and Cookies.
Tools > Internet Option > Delete > Check temporary internet files and check cookies > Delete.
Exit internet explorer. Launch internet explorer.
Go to http://www.msn.com (it will now be the old layout)
Make this your home page.
I’m not sure how or why this works.
I am just going to add the same comments that everyone else has: why change something if it NOT broken. I HATE the new MSN page and WHO was the IDIOT who developed BING. A terrible site to ask nothing on. Come on lets be more creative in some other area. Thx
If you do not like it – change. I’m going to. They will figure out which was better after they receive reduced traffic.
totally agree. Looks like a newspaper instead of a homepage. Really hate it. Switch it back or I’ll switch.
New webpage sucks the big wazoo. I cannot believe that MSN actually paid someone(s) to come up with such crap. Give me back the old format ASAP.
msn this page sucks and i will be movin on
I hate the new page as does my husband, I’ll wait one more week to see if msn is listening to their customers, if it doesn’t go back after all these negative responses, we’ll know that they really aren’t listening, We’ll find another home after 10 years.
HATE THE NEW PAGE! HATE IT! HATE IT! CHANGED MY HOMEPAGE UNTIL THEY BRING THE OLD PAGE BACK!
I really like the home page at all its a good for msn user
I really like the home page at all, if this continues I will switch to another home page
i dont like, the new homepage…
I want the old msn back. In the mean time I’ve switched my homepage.
this new home page sucks big time i want the old home page back or i will be looking for a new home page. p.s get with it msn
All my settings are gone. This page is a nightmare. After over 10 years I am gone
Hate it. Hello Google will you be my new best friend?
How do I get the old one back? I hate this!
The new MSN hompage totally sucks! If they do not give people the option or choice of the old homepage versus the new one, I do have obe other choice. Stop using MSN and it as my homepage. I am an MSN premium customer.
I was able to change it back. I don’t know how long this work and if it will work for everyone, but this is what i did.
1. close all browsers
2. find the file/application “msnsusii” and double click on it
3. The installer box appears with a next button
4. click next, because MSN is already installed, the program quickly terminates
5. open the blue IE explorer or MSN butterfly
6. the old MSN homepage should now appear
Hope this solves the problem.
This new page is garbage. I hate it so much but can’t figure a way to change it to the old style. Guess what I am changing my home page because of this crap page. Way to go I used to love the old style that is why it USED to be my home page.
I want my msn back.Hate Hate Hate it…Thanks Microsoft for the email I never received about your change.
I wish I could describe what I did, but keep trying.
I got my old MSN page back.
Man I hate this new page… When I load it at home the old one still comes up. Anyone know if there is a way to get the old one to load all the time?
EPIC FAIL MSN
I don’t like this new look. If I want a washed out look I’ll go to yahoo or google. If this is the future I’ll be moving on !!!
This must be a joke!!! No??? It’s like looking at a snow storm. Too much colour white on the MSN home page. Would I call this a bad
or stupid thing to do. It’s both. Time to give those jerks a IQ test and let some smart people , a 5th grade class students will do, a chance to change the home page back to some what as it was. Easy to look at and read.
One Word….Sucks!!!
Clearing explorer history and re-entering msn.com as homepage reverts back to normal?
New Msn website is pure POS!!!!!!!!!
why does December 1st come up and the same page it has been? at least have the date correct and the news updated!
How do I change back to the other web page? I don’t like the new one.
Microsoft you stepped in it. You just lost me. Advertisers beware, you will lose a LOT of exposure due to this. I have enjoyed MSN as my homepage for years, now I will find a new one.
Come on google!
I HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT!!! I have tried everything to get it to revert to the old format. Nothing works. I hate msn for this.
!@#$%&!
the new page is horrible. I am amazed that you would publish att the people that agree with me. the least you can do is give us the choice of going back to the excellent old home page or staying with this mess if we are dumb an accept it! spdowling@msn.com
I mean WHO designed the “new” homepage…?
A 4 year old with a crayon in INDIA?
This thing is complete and utter TRASH!
I am leaving you MSN…and Yahoo also has the same, nearly identical layout and look!
Try shopping in the U.S., next time, and find a real person to do your re-designing!
It is disgusting and demeaning,…..as if it were designed for a bunch of half-wits, and terrible 2 year olds!
You need to get real!
I don’t like it. I miss the old homepage.
I see many feel the same way.
I hate it & will not use it! I have used nothing but MSN as my homepage, but I won’t be able to get use to this, Much to bright, looks like a hospital hallway. I guess I will have to find another home page.
JUNK IT.
Regards
Whoa! My old MSN homepage is back. Is someone actually listening? Happy camper here!
I HATE the new homepage – I am currently deciding who I will switch to for my new homepage – it WON’T be MSN if they keep this setup.
why not leave it up to the individual to choose what they want? me personally i like the old msn paige i knew where everything was and now im lost.fffffiiiiixxxxx iiiiittttt!!!!!!
Not very happy with new layout, I prefer the old MSN, it was easier to find what I wanted and not to be bothered with all the other content I did not want to read or see.
Well nuts. Haven’t been on my computer since this time yesterday and lo and behold, when I signed on, I got the old MSN homepage back. What’s up with this!
MSN has been my home page for years but if they keep the new format i will switch. i really dont like it.
Steve, try clicking on the settings tab and select mymsn. Once you make it your homepage you can tailor the page to your liking. It allows you to add, remove and move the modules. You can select what you want to see, where you want to see it and colors, etc. As much as I hate the new MSN.com, I have to admit that I really like mymsn.
Thanks fish stick..I did click on the settings tab. I wasnt impressed with it. I have already made CNN my new home page. Thanks and good luck with the ever changing msn. Steve
This was a bad idea..to change msn when everyone liked the previous version..I hate the color scheme..I cant have my weather set up like before or my local news. Unless they listen to the customers and change it back..I will make CNN my new homepage..This was one of the worse ideas ive seen on the web. Someone should be terminated!!
Steve
I’m not sure how I did it, but on the new homepage, there is an option marked ” Settings” at the top upper right. I clicked on it, figuring I didn’t have anything to lose, and I was able to make “MyMSN.com” my home page. On top of that, you can move the modules around, change themes and background colors and basically, my homepage is not to awfully different from the old one. And it’s pretty easy to navigate.
Hate is so much……….. will be changing. What were they thinking?
I have to agree with all of the “Hate It” comments. IMSN is my home page on both my home computer and my office computer. Why is it that my office computer still has the old page and my home computer has the new page.
And why weren’t we given the option of which page we want to use.
Can’t stand the new page, my wife hates it and my father-in-law will lose his mind when it switches on his computers.
This new page is total garbage. It would appear that twitter and facebook and links of that nature are the most importatnt things in this world. It is much harder to find the things that you need.
Right on Jeff! I don’t know why they have to put that twitter,…ect crap on that page. Come on! That is a load of doo.
Very boring. No color. Don’t like it at all! Want the other page back and I want a link to choose the old MSN page as my home page… until I find my old MSN page, I will start using a new non-msn home page.
Paul it is server time, not your time.
Also, my time is 9:27am Central Standard Time. What is with the time on my post?
I will change my homepage if I am not able to get to the old view. So called upgrades can occur without such a radical view changes and should be preceded with ample notification and the option to retain the old view if desired…Goodbye MSN!
Seeing the new MSN Page I was wondering if I had a virus. In any case I as other am looking for a new home page. This new one sucks. I wish they would give the option of staying with the old one
If they don’t let me have my old page back, I’m changing web-pages, period. And Bing stinks.
Yes this thing smells to high heaven, but now I’ve made the choice to delete my msn desktop icon and now use the one for Google news and a seperate one for finances. These sites are great and they don’t have all the extra garbage that msn has been overloading with these past years. With this new setup I think that they have just thrown in the towel and will just make it a sham link scam to their Ho Hum bing search.
You can see they were doing that slowly all along as time went on so they can claim they are getting better hits than Yahoo & Google, which by the way is rolling out a new version after the new year and the beta was more accurate and slightly faster than the regular google. So just delete them from your life and I guarantee with in 2 weeks of useing others information sites you will not miss them in the least. My message to MSN is KMA…….H
Couldn’t agree more with the other comments made. Too light and not enough content and the old MSN home page was much much better. Will also switch and am experimenting with other home pages. I got discontented with Yahoo for similar reasons a couple of years back.
Is there any chance that MSN is reading/listening to these comments???? I’d say, “it’s not lookin’ too good!!” How about at least some comment from MSN as to the availability of the old site, and the possibility that we can opt for that one. Please Listen!!!!!
The new design is terrible. I used to enjoy getting all the news, sports, financial, and entertainment headlines at one glance without the requirement to scroll down. The new approach is too bright and unappealing. I’ll be searching for a new “home”…too bad since MSN.com has been my homepage for at least 8 years.
This is awful. I couldn’t believe it when I logged on this morning and found this mess! I want the old page back. Hate it, hate it, hate it!
Heading over to google. What a shame.
My first reaction was: WTF! Do I have a virus or something?! microsoft pulled a switch without any warning, at least not to me…but who am I – just a lil’ ol’ nobody. Also, the ultra bright white background is blinding! And there’s no way to change the color. It’d taken me years to getting used to finding things on the old MSN homepage, now I have to learn how to navigate through the new one all over again…SUCKS, big time! And there’s no way to go back to the old version; at least not from what I can figure out. Maybe it’s time to ditch MSN altogether. Thanks for nothing microsoft!
To much chitt to look at to find what you want and way to bright my eyes hurt from looking at it. Back ground color options would have been nice. I believe I will be changing my home page. From the looks of things no one likes it! What do you think microsoft??
I do not like the new home page at all, if this continues I will switch to another home page
Hate the new home page will be going to google.
WOW, did my eyes just decieve me or what?
1. MSN totally screws up their website.
2. We post our distaste for the new website.
3. Today, Tuesday Nov, 24th @ 12:30, they change it back!
YEEHAA, bitching does work!
This is RUBBISH! A survey really? Who did they survey the obama admin? A change is good even if it sucks. /sigh Good bye msn
It is too bright! It hurts your eyes. I sure don’t know who they surveyed because, I can’t find one favorable opinion on here. Now I’m gonna have to change home pages.
It sucks! I used many of the links that used to be at the top of the page. Now they are all gone. The color scheme sucks too. Good-bye MSN homepage. I’ll find a new one.
There is ONLY 1 comment that says the change was “good for users”. I agree with the other 99.9%. The new change is TERRIBLE and unless MSN provides a way to keep the old page, I will be looking for a new homepage after having the old page as my homepage after 10 years due to this change.
PLEASE DONT FIX WHAT IS NOT BROKEN.
It’s really bad folks. Better you bring back the old as an option or risk the loss of millions of internet users.
I do not like the new page. I want my old one back. This one is too hard to read and find things. When I bring up this page it just runs together which makes it difficult to read. I’m looking for a new homepage tonight.
I completely agree – the New Web page is horrible! Is it posible to get the Old Web Page Back?
It’s almost Like Dianne Pelosi designed it – Yukkkk!!!
Why change what worked so well? I’ve had MSN as my home page since 1996. Now looking for a new home. I wonder if MSN’s advertisers realize many people will be changing. What is the consensus, Google, CNN, Yahoo? Someone make a suggestion, my ears are open!
I’m all for trying to upgrade, make something new, but this new MSN page is just a mess to look at and way too bright. I much prefer the old one and I too will be looking for a new page if they don’t make some adjustment toward the easier to see, easier to navigate OLD MSN Page. What’s next, the LA Times putting recipe’s on the front page, and making us try to find the news we want on page 15 or 16
Cannot stand the new MSN home page. Looking for another to replace it!!!!
How do I get the old one back? the new one sucks!!
I agree the new msn sucks please go back to the old page!!!!!
how do i get it back to how it was? Man, i wish i didn’t click NEXT.
The new mobile site is even worse. Fewer links to msnbc news stories, less content, no way to read a story without clicking through multiple pages… Fewer liks, less content. What’s to like? This isn’t a complaint about colors or appearance on the page from someone who hates change. You have severly reduced one of my substantive news sources without warning and for no appparent reason.
Si
Si
This new homepage really bites. I’m moving.
The new home page is a complete confusing mess. I will not use it!!!!!! I want my home page back. I hope mns goes out of business.
I am devastated. Please bring old home page back. ASAP.
The new msn web page SUCKS!!!!!!!!
I want my old home page back
New homepage is a piece of garbage. Old page was easy to read and had a good flow – this new page jumps all over the place. Someone s/b fired!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE IT! How do I go back? The old page still works with Chrome. I think I need a new homepage and while I at it, a new browser.
Whoever created the new homepage is inept, and lacking. Whoever approved is a change agent who must change things, if for nothing else just to change. I think there is some intended negatives to attempt to drive off the population to allow the site to be used for other than intended purposes.
The new MSN page sucks. Boring (all white), confusing, I can’t find anything I was used to look for. I’m going to change my homepage to iGoogle.
I WANT THE OLD MSN BACK. I AM LEAVING MSN. IHAD NO CHOICE IT JUST SHOWED UP ONE MORNING. WHY WAS I A LUCKY ONE. STILL HAVE THE OLD PAGE AT WORK THANK GOD. TOO WHITE, TOO BRIGHT MSN YOU DID NOT GET IT RIGHT.
Why not leave a good idea the way it was and should be..This new MSN home page sucks!!! I will make CNN my new home page!!
YOUR NEW PAGE SUCKS BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want my old MSN homepage back please. I can’t find anything. I never received a survey and I log in several times a day. Would never have voted for this.
Go to botttom of new home page and hit the feedback button and leave comment . New home page is CRAP!!!!!!!
The new MSN home page sucks. I want my old home page back. I don’t think MS conducted any survey. If they had, they wouldn’t have implemented this crap. How do I get the old home page back?
I hate this new home page. Did MS really do a survey? I didn’t see any such a survey. I want my old home page back. Any ideas, anyone?
I can not get local weather like you could on the old MSN homepage. I really do not care for it since it seems confusing and disorienting. It is not as easy to read and lacks easy to find links. My vote goes to the old MSN. Not that any ones opinion really matters since microsoft rarely listens to its customers. It back to the shove down your throat concepts.
The new design is a coplete faliure.
Absolutely bad and almost useless.
The nwe design in my mind is, invent a better one.
This is not better.
No cheers
Uborka
I am very dissapointed with the new msn home page.The glareing white background and color of text is very hard on my eyes.Iwill not use it if it has to stay this way
I hate this new page. I am now looking for a new homepage and a new E-mail account. Why did they have to change it??? It worked and I knew where everything was. I can’t find shit on this new page and like everyone else said….it is too light and ugly. Goodbye MSN……Hello???
Hate it! Too light, Too shallow, Too boring. The old page was unique in that it was like seeing the complete contents of a newspaper, all on one page. One click after reviewing the home page and you were on your way to a specific topic of interest. WAY TRY TO FIX WHATS NOT NO BROKEN!
Just like the government, get a new idea and stuff it down our throats.
Congratulations MSN, my new homepage is changing to GOOGLE!
Didn’t you people learn anything from Coca-Cola? If it works, DON’T FIX IT!
I really don’t like it. I want my old MSN page back. It is really hard to read – they should at least give you the option to change the background to another color.
Don’t like it
I’m not to thrill with the new page cause it is way to bright and I cann’t read the page… I will be making a new home page on another web site if this problem isn’t correct for the elderly…I have been with MSN for about 10 years and like the way the page appears and I can control the color options… They have made changes about every 6 months in the last 2 yrs. to the old page but nothing that compares to the mess they have created now…..
good for msn.com good for users
THIS SUCKS……what the F — sometimes you shouldn’t mess with things and just leave them the way they were.
AND BING SUCKS
Not impressed with the new site. My stock watch list was deleted. The new site appears geared towards day care use as opposed to business. The former site was relevant, useful and professional. Unfortunately, it appears that there is no option to go back to the old format. I guess a change to Google or CNN is warranted.
Don’t like it either. Many other people have told me they dislike it also. I like the colors and layout better of the old page. They say the new page loads faster. But high speed access is virtually everywhere, it shouldn’t be a problem.