Ngama-2000s, iWindows Live Messenger, kanye ne-ICQ, baba amathuluzi asetshenziswa kakhulu ngabasebenzisi ukuxhumana nge-Intanethi. Le ndlela yokuxhumana, singayibheka ukuvela okucacile kwama-IRC, obuhle bayo obususelwa ku-DOS bushiye okuningi kungathandeka.
Kokubili i-Messenger ne-ICQ baba ngamathuluzi wokuzikhethela ezigidini eziningi zabasebenzisi, kushiya i-IRC kulabo abanolwazi oluningi, noma abafuna ukuxhumana nabanye abantu ukuthola imininingwane ngezihloko ezithile noma ezithile zezihloko ezithile, sibonga amakamelo okuxoxa ebesinawo.
Kepha njengoba iminyaka ihamba, izinkundla ezintsha zokuxhumana zabasebenzisi zafika kanye nohlelo lweMicrosoft Messenger lokuthumela imiyalezo alusetshenziswa. Lolu hlelo lokusebenza lalihlangene nohlu lwezicelo ezivela ku- IMicrosoft ibizwa ngeWindows Live Essential, iphakheji yezinhlelo zokusebenza obekufanele sizifake ngaphandle kwenguqulo ye-Windows ebesinayo nokuthi ngaphezu kwe-Messenger nayo isinikezile:
- I-Windows Mail Desktop
- Ukuphepha Komndeni wakwaMicrosoft
- I-OneDrive yeWindows
- I-Windows Movie MAker
- Igalari Yesithombe seWindows
- Umlobi weWindows
- Isixhumi seMicrosoft Outlook Hotmail
Ukwethulwa kweWindows 8, ngo-Okthoba 4, 2012, kuphawule ukuqala kokuphela kweWindows Messenger, ngoba ngaphezu kokumenyezelwa kwenguqulo entsha yeWindows, iMicrosoft umemezele ukuthi i-Messenger application application izoyeka ukusebenza ngo-Ephreli 8, 2013.
Uhlobo lwakamuva oluzinzile lwe-Windows Live Messenger lutholakala ku-Windows Live Essential, uhlu lwezinhlelo zokusebenza ezingeziwe ze-Windows lokho bangeze uchungechunge lwezicelo ezithakazelisa kakhulu njengeWindows Movie Maker noma i-Outllok Hotmail Isixhumi. IMicrosoft iqhubeke nokugcina lezo zinsiza zingavuselelwa kuze kube unyaka owedlule, okuyilapho isuse khona kumaseva ayo, ivimbela abasebenzisi ukuthi bayilande.
Ngokubheka ukuthi iMicrosoft ibingazibuyekezi izinhlelo zokusebenza iminyaka eminingana, ukusebenza kwalezi zinhlelo ezingasinikeza bekulinganiselwe kakhulu, ngakho-ke ngaphandle kokuthi uqhubeke nokusebenzisa iWindows XP, akunakwenzeka ukuthi unesifiso sokuyisebenzisa ngokunenzuzo.