Customize and remove ads from Windows Live Messenger

The easiest way is to download A-Patch, which is actually an utility to customize visual and functionality aspects of Windows Live Messenger or MSN Messenger. There are more than 70 options and configurations currently available and now there's a preview which lets you see the changes as you select them.

To disable and remove Windows Live Messenger ads, just extract and execute the A-Patch executable.

1. Exit from Windows Live Messenger
2. If you’re first time running A-Patch, you will be prompted Advance Options screen. Just click OK to select the default.
3. On the Welcome window (page 2), select “Patch Messenger” under “Choose an Option”, and make sure the path to the Windows Live Messenger is correct (default should be C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger which is shown automatically, unless you change your installation directory, otherwise leave it as it is.).
4. Click Next 2x
   
5. On the Contact List window (page 5), select the “Remove Advertisement” option (4th or 5th option, depending on how you count) and click Next 3x
   
6. In the Instant Messege window, select the “Remove Advertisement” option (last row) and click Next 3x.
   
7. Now, click on Apply to remove the ads on Windows Live Messenger.
8. You will be prompted to make sure you’re running the patch on a clean unmodified installation of MSN Messenger, and ensure that Windows Live Messenger has closed. Click on OK to continue.
9. Patching done. Select “Launch MSN Messenger” and click Exit to launch the patched Windows Live Messenger without ads including text link ads