Frequently asked questions

Is this MSN Messenger?

No. It's a throwback to it, made by fans. MSGR Reloaded looks and works the way instant messaging did in the mid-2000s, but every line of code, every icon and every emoticon was made new for this project. It doesn't contain any of Microsoft's software or artwork, and Microsoft has nothing to do with it.

Can I sign in with my old MSN or Hotmail account?

Not as it was. Old accounts, passwords and contact lists ended when Microsoft closed the service, and we never had them. Make a new account here. You can use any e-mail address, including your old Hotmail or Outlook address, if you still use it.

Can I use the original Messenger program?

Only the MSGR Reloaded app is supported. It's built for this server, and it's the one we test.

Does it cost anything?

No. The app and the account are free, and there are no ads or anything to buy.

If you'd like to help pay for the server, you can buy us a coffee. It's entirely optional, and it doesn't unlock anything.

What does it run on?

Windows 10 and 11, Linux (Ubuntu 24.04 and the systems built on it, such as Linux Mint 22) and Android 9 and newer. Other Linux versions aren't packaged yet. There's no Mac or iPhone version yet. The Android app is an early test version: it works, but its screens were designed for a computer.

Can I be signed in on my computer and my phone at once?

Yes, with version 0.1.6 or newer on both. Conversations show up on each device, including what you said on the other one, and your status, name, personal message and display picture (from version 0.1.8) stay the same on all of them. Your contacts see you as online while any of your devices is. Each device keeps its own conversation history, so one that was switched off doesn't get what it missed. Older versions sign you out of your other devices when you sign in.

Are my conversations private?

The server passes your messages along, and it doesn't keep them. The exception is a message to someone who's offline: the server holds it until they sign in, for up to 30 days. Your conversation history is saved on your own computer, not on the server.

Be aware that, like the messengers it's modelled on, MSGR Reloaded doesn't encrypt chat messages on the way to the server. Someone who controls your network, such as a public Wi-Fi hotspot, could read them. Don't use it for passwords, bank details or anything else you wouldn't want overheard. Your password itself is always sent encrypted. Files sent directly between two MSGR Reloaded users are encrypted too.

What do you do with my e-mail address?

It's your sign-in name, so your contacts see it, as they did in the old days. We also use it to confirm your account and to send password reset links. We don't send newsletters, and we don't share it with anyone. Your password is stored scrambled (hashed), so nobody here can read it.

How do I delete my account?

Go to Delete your account and enter your e-mail address and password. That removes your account, your contact list and any messages waiting for you, and takes you off other people's contact lists, straight away. Conversations saved on your own computer stay there until you delete them.

Forgotten your password? Choose a new one first, or e-mail support@msgr-reloaded.com from the address you signed up with and we'll delete it for you.

Why does Windows warn me about the installer?

Windows warns about programs that aren't signed with a paid code-signing certificate, and ours isn't yet. Make sure you downloaded it from this site, then click More info and Run anyway.

How do I get new versions?

The app checks for new versions once in a while and shows a yellow bar at the top of its window when there is one. On Windows, and on Linux if you installed the .deb, click Update now: it downloads the new version, checks it, and installs it over the old one. Windows asks for permission first, and Linux asks for your password. Your settings and conversations stay as they were. On Android, the bar links to the download.

You can also check from Help, Check for Updates, or turn the checks off in Tools, Options, General.

How do I know a download is genuine?

Every release is signed with our own key, and the app only installs updates with that signature. If you'd like to check a download yourself, compare its SHA-256 checksum with these:

• MSGR-Reloaded-0.1.9.apkd3e5ed719da0cf16257c1e93382597597384403c104544a3ab9d96fe3dd9fc8d
• msgr-reloaded_0.1.9_amd64.deb5d428501bcb1020d0e9fe839504449d4e27a527fe0a6558aa9c7f4fe980720d5
• MSGR-Reloaded-0.1.9-Setup.exeaa8c69e3ef29df1ba57991c2dc89cd64488002a2171f0940ae8df27066f2350d

On Windows: certutil -hashfile <file> SHA256. On Linux: sha256sum <file>.

The Android app is also signed, and Android won't install an update over it unless it has the same signature.

Where are group chats, webcam and voice?

Not built yet. Today you can chat one-to-one, send files, nudge, and use emoticons, display pictures and backgrounds. Group conversations, voice and video calls, voice clips, games and custom emoticons are still to come.

Is the Discord tab safe to use?

It's optional, and it's at your own risk. Discord doesn't officially allow apps other than its own to sign in to personal accounts, and it can restrict accounts that do. The tab doesn't do anything automated: it shows your friends and private messages and sends what you type. But we can't promise Discord won't object. If your Discord account matters to you, leave the tab alone.

Can I turn off nudges?

Yes. Go to Tools, Options, Messages and untick Allow others to send me nudges.