Windows Essentials，也称为Windows Live Essentials ，曾经是由(Windows Live Essentials)Microsoft开发的一套有用的Windows程序。该套件是免费的，包括用于电子邮件管理、即时消息、照片管理和共享(photo management and sharing)、博客和家长控制的应用程序。尽管Windows Essentials多年来发展了很多，但最终，它们遭受了与恐龙一样不幸的命运：它们已经灭绝。换句话说，微软(Microsoft)认为它们已经过时并且没有必要维护它们。尽管您无法再从Microsoft下载(Microsoft)Windows Essentials，它们仍然可以在 Internet 上的其他地方找到，并且您仍然可以根据需要使用它们。在这里可以找到Windows Essentials、如何安装它们以及如何启动Windows Essentials应用程序：
什么是（曾经）Windows Essentials？
Windows Essentials是或曾经是(Windows Essentials)Microsoft向Windows用户提供的一套免费工具。Microsoft开发的最新版本称为Windows Essentials 2012，于 2012 年8 月 7(August 7)日发布。它包括以下应用程序：Microsoft OneDrive、Mail、Writer、Messenger、Photo Gallery 和 Movie Maker(Photo Gallery and Movie Maker)以及Outlook Connector Pack。
(Windows Essentials)不幸的是，Windows Essentials已于 2017年1 月 10日被(January 10)Microsoft停用。这意味着Microsoft停止维护和为套件中包含的应用程序提供任何支持。这也意味着您不能再从Microsoft的网站下载此软件套件。(software suite)但是，正如您将在本文后面看到的那样，您仍然可以在 Web 上找到Windows Essentials的位置。(Windows Essentials)
在Windows(Windows) Essentials中停止工作的事情
Messenger已被淘汰，因此您不应安装(should not install )Messenger，因为您无法再使用它。相反，请考虑使用Skype，因为Microsoft将继续努力添加新功能并使其比以往任何时候都更好。
如果您使用 Windows 7，则可以安装( can be installed if you use Windows 7.)OneDrive 。但是，您应该考虑使用Microsoft在此处(here)提供的最新版本。在Windows 10和Windows 8.1中，OneDrive已经内置在操作系统中(operating system)，您应该使用随它获得的版本。
Windows Live Mail - Windows Essentials中包含的简单电子邮件客户端(email client)- 不能与Outlook.com 帐户(Outlook.com account)一起使用。要使其正常工作，您必须使用IMAP 或 POP3 协议(IMAP or POP3 protocols)配置您的帐户。
Windows Live Writer是一种可用于在WordPress、Blogger或TypePad等博客平台上直接从您的桌面撰写文章并将其发布到 Web 的工具，不再适用于Blogger。但是，Microsoft发布了Windows Live Writer的(Windows Live Writer,)源代码(source code)，现在由一个名为Open Live Writer的专门社区维护。你可以在这里找到官方网站：openlivewriter.org。如果您想使用Writer，我们强烈建议您使用这个新版本，而不是原来的Windows Essentials中的那个(Windows Essentials).
运行Windows(Windows) Essentials的系统要求是什么？
在下载和安装Windows Essentials之前，您应该确保您的计算机满足最低要求：安装了 Windows 10、Windows 7、Windows 8.1 或Windows Server 2008 R2，至少 1.6 GHz 处理器(GHz processor)，1GB RAM或更多，带有最小分辨率为 1024x576 像素。要使用Movie Maker，您还应该有支持DirectX 10或更高版本以及Shader Model 2或更高版本的(Shader Model 2)视频卡(video card)。如果Windows在您的计算机上运行良好，并启用了所有视觉功能，那么您运行Windows Essentials中包含的应用程序应该没有问题(Windows Essentials)套房。
在哪里下载以及如何安装Windows Essentials
要下载安装文件(setup file)，您必须搜索互联网并找到一个安全的位置来获取它。我们检查的一个好地方是WinAero。正如我们与卡巴斯基(Kaspersky)的扫描所证实的那样，所有链接都是有效的，所有文件都是安全的。
下载安装程序文件(installer file)后，双击或双击它以运行它。然后，您可以根据需要选择安装所有Windows Essentials工具或选择特定子集。
考虑到Windows Essentials套件包括Windows Live Messenger，这是一个已被淘汰的应用程序，您应该始终选择第二个选项：“选择要安装的程序”。("Choose the programs you want to install.")
然后，您将看到一个包含所有可用程序的列表。如果要安装程序，请选中其名称附近的框。请注意(Notice)，Photo Gallery和Movie Maker捆绑在一起。您不能单独安装它们。选择要安装的应用程序后，按安装按钮。(Install)
接下来，显示进度窗口(progress window)。如果您选择安装许多程序，安装过程可能需要更长的时间。(installation process)完成后，单击或点击(click or tap) 关闭(Close)。您可以立即开始使用Windows Essentials中包含的应用程序，无需重新启动计算机(computer restart)。
如果您选择安装Windows Live Messenger，即使该程序已被Microsoft淘汰，您也会被要求输入您的Microsoft 帐户(Microsoft account)详细信息，以便您登录。
不幸的是，由于Microsoft关闭了为Messenger维护即时消息通信的所有服务器，因此您将无法连接到您的帐户。您所能做的就是关闭应用程序。
现在您可以开始使用已安装的其他应用程序了。
如何启动Windows Essentials程序
Windows Essentials套件中包含的程序的快捷方式直接显示在“开始”菜单(Start Menu)的根目录、Windows 10和Windows 7或Windows 8.1的“(Windows 8.1)应用程序”视图(Apps view)中。没有为他们创建特殊文件夹。
让我们以Photo Gallery(Photo Gallery)为例来看看如何启动程序。
在Windows 10(Windows 10)中打开此应用程序的最快方法是使用Cortana提供的搜索功能(search function)。在任务栏上的搜索字段(search field)中键入单词photo，然后单击或点击照片库(Photo Gallery)。
在 Windows 7中打开照片库(Photo Gallery)最快捷、最简单的方法是在“开始”菜单搜索框中键入单词(Start Menu)photo，然后单击“照片库(Photo Gallery)”快捷方式。
在 Windows 8.1 中，在“开始”屏幕上键入(Start)photo，相应的结果将显示在搜索结果列表中。
相同的过程可用于从该套件启动任何应用程序。此外，如果您想经常使用它们，最好将它们固定到“开始”菜单(Start Menu)（在Windows 10和Windows 7中）或“开始(Start)”屏幕（在 Windows 8.1 中）。
结论
现在您对Windows Essentials(Windows Essentials)套件及其不幸的命运有了更多了解。它已经灭绝，但它的一部分仍然可以使用。可以说它类似于民主:)。如果您决定仍然使用它，请不要犹豫，浏览我们的网站并找到有用的教程来指导您使用这些程序。如果您对此套件有任何疑问或问题，请随时使用下面的评论表。
Simple questions: What were Windows Essentials and how can you install them today?
Windows Essentials, also known as Windows Live Essentials, used to be a suite of useful Windows programs that were developed by Microsoft. The suite was free and included apps for e-mail management, instant messaging, photo management and sharing, blogging, and parental controls. Although Windows Essentials have evolved a lot over the years, in the end, they suffered the same unfortunate fate as dinosaurs: they've gone extinct. In other words, Microsoft decided that they are obsolete and that there's no point in maintaining them. Although you can no longer download Windows Essentials from Microsoft, they can still be found in other places on the internet, and you can still use them if you want. Here's where to find Windows Essentials, how to install them and how to start the Windows Essentials apps:
What are (were) Windows Essentials?
Windows Essentials is, or was, a suite of free tools offered by Microsoft to Windows users. The latest version that was developed by Microsoft was called Windows Essentials 2012, and it was released on August 7, 2012. It includes the following applications: Microsoft OneDrive, Mail, Writer, Messenger, Photo Gallery and Movie Maker and Outlook Connector Pack.
Windows Essentials have unfortunately been retired by Microsoft on January 10, 2017. That means that Microsoft stopped maintaining and providing any support for the apps included in the suite. It also means that you can no longer download this software suite from Microsoft's websites. However, as you'll see later in this article, there are still places where you can find Windows Essentials on the web.
Things that stopped working in Windows Essentials
Messenger has been phased out, so you should not install Messenger as you can no longer use it. Instead, consider using Skype, as Microsoft continues to work hard on adding new features and making it better than ever before.
OneDrive can be installed if you use Windows 7. However, you should consider using the latest version that Microsoft provides here. In Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, OneDrive is already built into the operating system, and you should use the version you get with it.
Windows Live Mail - the simple email client included in Windows Essentials - can't be used with an Outlook.com account out of the box. To make it work, you must configure your account using the IMAP or POP3 protocols.
Windows Live Writer, a tool that can be used to write articles and publish them to the web, straight from your desktop, on blogging platforms like WordPress, Blogger or TypePad, no longer works with Blogger. However, Microsoft released the source code for Windows Live Writer, and it's now maintained by a dedicated community, under the name of Open Live Writer. You can find the official website here: openlivewriter.org. If you want to use Writer, we strongly recommend you to use this new version instead of the one found in the original Windows Essentials.
What are the system requirements for running Windows Essentials?
Before downloading and installing Windows Essentials, you should make sure that your computer meets the minimum requirements: Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 installed, a minimum 1.6 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM or more, a display with a minimum resolution of 1024x576 pixels. To use Movie Maker, you should also have a video card that supports DirectX 10 or higher and Shader Model 2 or greater. If Windows runs fine on your computer, with all its visual features enabled, then you should have no problem running the applications included in the Windows Essentials suite.
Where to download and how to install Windows Essentials
To download the setup file, you must search the internet and find a safe location from which to get it. One good place that we checked is WinAero. All the links are valid, and all the files are safe, as our scans with Kaspersky confirmed.
Once you download the installer file, double click or double tap on it to run it. You can then choose to either install all the Windows Essentials tools or select a particular subset, according to your needs.
Considering that the Windows Essentials suite includes Windows Live Messenger, which is an application that was phased out, you should always go for the second option: "Choose the programs you want to install."
You will then see a list with all the available programs. If you want to install a program, check the box near its name. Notice that Photo Gallery and Movie Maker are bundled together. You cannot install them separately. Press the Install button after you have selected the applications that you want to be installed.
Next, a progress window is displayed. The installation process can take longer if you have opted to install many programs. When done, click or tap Close. You can start using the apps included in Windows Essentials right away, no computer restart needed.
If you have chosen to install Windows Live Messenger, even if this program was phased out by Microsoft, you will also be asked to enter your Microsoft account details, so that you can sign in.
Unfortunately, because Microsoft closed off all the servers that were maintaining instant messages communications for Messenger, you won't be able to connect to your account. All you can do is close the app.
Now you can start using the other applications that you have installed.
How to start Windows Essentials programs
The shortcuts for the programs included in the Windows Essentials suite are displayed directly on the root of the Start Menu, in Windows 10 and Windows 7, or in the Apps view from Windows 8.1. There's no special folder created for them.
Let's see how to launch a program, by using Photo Gallery as an example.
The fastest way to open this app in Windows 10 is to use the search function offered by Cortana. Type the word photo in the search field on the taskbar and then click or tap on Photo Gallery.
The quickest and easiest way to open Photo Gallery in Windows 7, is to type the word photo in the Start Menu search box and then click on the Photo Gallery shortcut.
In Windows 8.1, type photo on the Start screen and the appropriate result is displayed in the list of search results.
The same process can be used to launch any application from this suite. Also, if you want to use them frequently, it is a good idea to pin them to the Start Menu (in Windows 10 and Windows 7) or the Start screen (in Windows 8.1).
Conclusion
Now you know more about the Windows Essentials suite and its unfortunate fate. It is extinct, but parts of it are still useable. One could say that it resembles democracy :). If you decide to use it still, don't hesitate to browse through our website and find useful tutorials to guide you in these programs. If you have any questions or problems about this suite, do not hesitate to use the comments form below.
