Is there an app like MSN Messenger in 2026?
Yes. MSN Messenger, later called Windows Live Messenger, shut down in 2013, but Y2K Chat brings back the parts people miss: a buddy list that shows who's online, nudges that shake the chat window, away messages and sign-in sounds. It's free on Android, and it works on iPhone without the App Store.
What people miss about MSN Messenger
- Seeing at a glance which friends were online.
- Nudging someone until their window shook.
- Personal messages and the song you were listening to, right under your name.
- Away messages, and the sound of a friend signing in.
What happened to it
Microsoft retired Windows Live Messenger in 2013 and moved its users to Skype. The old app can no longer sign in.
What Y2K Chat offers
- A buddy list that shows which friends are online, away or offline, with their personal message and the song they're playing.
- Nudges that shake your friend's chat window, with a sound.
- Away messages: a preset like "Be right back" or your own words.
- Sign-in chimes when a friend comes online, mutable per friend.
- An answering machine: if nobody's online, leave a voice message on the "tape".
- Circles: small group chats of up to 10 friends.
And what's left out: no AI, no ads, no feeds, no strangers, no photos or videos. Messages delete themselves after 30 days. It has its own original look and sounds, and it's free.
Get Y2K Chat
On iPhone there's no App Store download: open y2kchats.com in Safari, tap Share, then Add to Home Screen. It opens from your home screen like any other app.
Questions
Can I still use MSN Messenger?
No. Windows Live Messenger, the later name of MSN Messenger, shut down in 2013, and the old app can't sign in any more. Y2K Chat is a new app with the same kind of buddy list, nudges and away messages.
Can I bring my old MSN contacts?
No. Y2K Chat is a separate app with no connection to Microsoft. You add friends with a friend code, and you become buddies once both of you have added each other.
Is Y2K Chat free?
Yes. It's free, with no ads and no in-app purchases.