Microsoft has just released the final version of Windows Live Essentials 2011, the popular software compilation that contains programs such as Messenger, Photo Gallery, Mail or Movie Maker. There is no announcement yet on the changes, except that the 2011 edition of Windows Live integrates fully with Microsoft’s latest operating system Windows 7, including full support for jumplists and other features of the OS.
The official Windows Live website links only to a download of the web installer of Windows Live Essentials 2011. The web installer has a small size and requires an Internet connection during installation, as it retrieves all application files from the web.
windows live essentials 2011
Some users may prefer an offline installer, especially if they want to install Windows Live Essentials 2011 on a PC without (permanent) Internet connection. Those users can download the offline installer of the software suite here.
The system requirements offer virtually no surprises, especially for users who already took a look at the beta release of Live Essentials. Like the beta, Windows Live Essentials 2011 is only compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista and Windows 7, and the Windows Server 2008 releases. Sorry Windows XP users, no Live Essentials update for you this time. Windows XP users are stuck with the 2010 releases of Windows Live.
- Operating system: 32- and 64-bit editions of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 with the Platform Update for Windows Vista, or Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 with Service Pack 2 and the Platform Update for Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2.
- Processor: 1.6 GHz or higher
- Memory: 1 GB of RAM or higher
- Resolution: Minimum: 1024 × 576
- Internet connection: Internet functionality requires dial-up or broadband Internet access (provided separately). Local or long-distance charges may apply. High-speed Internet access is recommended for some features.
- Graphics or video card: Windows Live Movie Maker requires a video card that supports DirectX 9 or higher and Shader Model 2 or higher.
Have you downloaded the 2011 version of Windows Live Essentials? What’s your first impression of it? Did you use the web installer or offline installer?
Related Articles:
Microsoft to Launch Windows Live Essentials 2011 later TodayWindows Live Essentials 2011 beta 2 coming next week
Windows Live Essentials Beta Download
Windows Live Essentials Beta Updated, Download Now
Microsoft Windows Live Offline Installation
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I hate to say this, but this may just be the straw to make me reinstall Windows again. Currently in Linux and there are really no good offline blogging clients.
I just installed Live Mail 2011. One huge disappointment is the horrible, messy-thrown-together-looking “ribbon” menu interface at the top. A fad, I know, but one I do hope (and in fact am sure) will get out of fashion again soon. On my laptop this looks already bad enough, but on my netbook it’s nothing short of a disaster: for even when you maximize the Live Mail window, this ugly pointless “ribbon” actually covers about one quarter of the small netbook screen, forcing you to scroll and keep scrolling through the shrinked messages and ditto message lists below. Awful! And I was thinking that in any email client reading and writing those actual messages was supposed to be the main thing… Old-fashioned, huh?
Would there be some geek among the Ghacks readers who can tell me how to get back a simple, small, efficient menu bar in Live Mail 2011? Or at least, how to collapse this space-eating ribbon monster when it’s (most of the time) not needed? I would be really, really grateful for some expert advice.
To me, this is a striking example of how “progress” in software development often results in making things less usable instead of making them better.
Henk, you can double-click on ‘Home’ to hide the ribbon. Then after you use a tab it will close, like traditional menus do. I quite like the ribbon. I admit it looks bad in Windows Live Essentials, and I know it’s bad for small screens, but after a bit of getting used to, I get things done a lot quicker with the ribbon interface. I definitely prefer it to the scattered mess of floating toolbars and menus in Office 2003…
Any hints on where I might find the offline installer for the previous release?
Just go to: http://wl.dlservice.microsoft.com/download/F/2/B/F2BDDA8A-F285-440B-98CE-BABEE6CA0B0E/en/wlsetup-all.exe
New version of Messenger is horrible. Was installed for about one minute. Thank goodness I keep my old setup files and still had 2010.
@KiKi
The md5 of 2010′s offline installer is “7A9F0E19F9D7AC193C8EFD9D7F351B4A” Just Google that to find the download link.
I tried it on my Netbook and I simply cannot use the Mail program. With the Calendar on the right and message pane on the left. It simply has no room to display a full message. I also agree that the ribbon is too busy and will be a turn off for some. I went back to the browser version of Hotmail.
You know, I really liked “Mail” in Vista and I am not sure why Microsoft went with only Essential Mail?
Can’t make video calls with Live 2011, Gives me a message that mi video card do not support video call. And now I can’t go back to 2010. Help me I need video calls!!!
can Windows Live Essentials 2011 install in windows xp sp2 or sp3..
Nope – You Need Vista With SP2 or Windows 7
Windows Live Essentials 2011 can be only installed on PC running Windows Vista Service Pack 2 and Windows 7. For Windows XP users, download Windows Live Essentials 2010 from http://download.live.com.
If you need to go back to Windows Live Essentials 2010, first you need to uninstall the whole programs. Then install back the version of Windows Live Essentials that you prefered.
If you can’t make video calls, first try to update your video card drivers which you can done from Windows Update. If your video calls still cannot be made, it is recommend that you replace or install an graphics cards that has 256MB of processing capacity.
To install Windows Live Essentials 2010 without an Internet connection, you can find the setup at Softpedia websites (http://www.softpedia.com). Alternatively, if your computer currently has Windows Live Essentials 2010 installed through Internet, you can copy its setup from C:\Program Files\Common Files\Windows Live\.cache. Before you copy, make sure you have configure Windows to view hidden and operating system protected files.
Thanks To Alfie For Link