How to Remove MSN Messenger Advertisements

MSN Messenger is Microsoft's instant messaging program that allows you to communicate with family and friends by chatting, and newer versions of the program allow you to send media file, such as photos and music, while you chat. The downside to the newer versions of MSN Messenger is that annoying advertisements appear on the interface while you are chatting. Getting rid of the advertisements requires altering a file that grants the advertisements permission to appear on MSN Messenger. It is an easy change that will take away the annoyance at least until MSN Messenger is updated again.

Instructions

1. Open a new Notepad document by clicking on "Start," "All Programs," "Accessories," and finally, "Notepad."

2. In the Notepad document, click on "File." A drop-down menu will appear on which you'll click on "Open."

3. In the "Open" box, click on "Computer" or "My Computer," click on the "(C:)" drive, then "Windows," "System32," "Drivers" and the "Etc" system folder.

4. In the "Etc" folder, there will be a file called "Hosts." Double-click on it to open it with Notepad.

5. In the "Hosts" file, find the line that says, "127.0.0.1 localhost" and add "rad.msn.com" to it so that it becomes "127.0.0.1 localhost rad.msn.com." Save the "Hosts" file and close it.

6. Restart MSN Messenger (you may as well just restart the computer) and the advertisements should be gone.

Resources

• More about removing ads from MSN Messenger