Have you ever noticed one very annoying problem when checking your Hotmail from MSN Messenger, it only opens with Internet Explorer? Windows Live Messenger is closely integrated with IE since Microsoft has to promote their web browser so Windows Live Messenger will always open pages in IE instead of other web browsers. I am very sure that I have Mozilla Firefox set as my default browser.

What I don’t understand is, when someone send me a message with a link, I am able to open link with Firefox, but when I click the small email icon to open my Hotmail inbox, it uses Internet Explorer! It seems the Windows Live Messenger does not respect Windows default browser.

There seems to be a place where I can configure default programs for activities in Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs > Set Program Access and Defaults > Custom > and select Mozilla Firefox. Tried that but it did not work. Seems like the only way to open Hotmail when clicking the email icon at Windows Live Messenger is by installing plugins.


1. Download Messenger Plus! Live and install.
Important Note: When install, at the first screen, click Next. Take a careful look at the second screen because that’s where it will ask you whether to install sponsor program or not. Select “I refuse to give my support, don’t install the sponsor“.

2. Download StuffPlug and install.

3. Launch Windows Live Messenger and sign in.

4. Try clicking the email icon and see if your Hotmail inbox will be launched in Firefox. If not, then click StuffPlug 3 from menu and select Options. Go to General tab and make sure the option “Open all URLs in default browser” is checked.

Is it even necessary to install 2 types of Windows Live Messenger plugin for this feature? It depends… I guess it is only necessary for people who has problems launching Internet Explorer and they are used to opening Hotmail inbox from the email icon. For me, I can still live with opening Hotmail inbox with Internet Explorer although my default browser is Firefox.