United StatesChange|Microsoft.com Home
Windows
 
powered by Live Search
 
HomeProductsBuyDownloadsHelp and How-to
Windows Help and How-to

Keeping in touch with friends and family by using Windows Live Spaces

Don't want to fill up the inboxes of your friends and family with e-mail messages about what you've been doing? Want to write your holiday newsletter all year long? Now you can share your thoughts, photos, family updates, and more, in one place so the people you know are just a mouse click away from finding out the latest.

Create your space

To create a space, you'll need a Windows Live ID. If you have a Hotmail or MSN e-mail address, you already have a Windows Live ID.

1.

Go to Windows Live Spaces at http://spaces.live.com and click Try it.

2.

Sign in with your Windows Live ID.

If you need a Windows Live ID, click Sign up to create one.

That's it! Your space is now created and will display the default design and content. (Visitors to your space don't see the Welcome to your space module.)

A Space with
the default design and content
When you first create a space, it is displayed with the default design and content

To make it simple for you and others to remember your web address, in the Welcome to your space module click Choose web address, and then follow the instructions on the page.

Write a blog entry

A blog is your online journal. Blog entries are about what you want to say or share with others: what you did on your vacation, rants and raves, love poems, anything at all. It doesn't matter where your inspiration comes from, just tap into it and let your keyboard do the rest.

1.

In the Welcome to your space module, click Add blog entry.

2.

Type the title and the content of your blog entry.

3.

If you want to change the format of your blog entry, use the available formatting tools to make the changes you want.

Writing a blog entry
You can write blog entries and share them with your friends and family

4.

Click Publish entry.

Your space displays with your blog entry in the middle of the main page.

By default, your newest blog entry is listed first.

Share photos

Adding photos to your space lets the people in your life see what you've been up to lately. Share pictures of your family, your vacation, or your new hobbies and passions. Organize your photos by date or subject or just add them randomly to add an element of surprise. To learn more about adding photos to your space, read Sharing photos with your friends and family.

Add a list

Maybe you want to share the time and location for upcoming soccer games, your favorite restaurants, or books you've read. Whatever it is, you can keep all of them in a list. There are a few specialized lists in Spaces designed for books, music, movies, and blogs to make it easy to get started and minimize the work that you need to do.

1.

In the Welcome to your space module, click Add a list.

2.

In the List title text box, type the name of the list.

3.

If you want to include a brief explanation about the list, type it in the List description text box.

4.

Select the appropriate list type.

5.

Click Add a list.

The list is created and you can begin adding individual items to it.

6.

Click Add item and add the information you want to include.

For books, movies, or music list items, you can search the web for additional information about the item, including an image, and include it in your list.

7.

Click Save.

8.

Repeat steps 6 and 7 to add as many list items as you want.

The newest list item is added to the top of your list. To reorder your list, use the Order numbers to put the items in the order you prefer, and then click Save.

Reordering a book list
You can change how a list appears in your space by reordering it

9.

To return to the main page of your space, click the name of your space, located above the Lists column.

Customize your space

To learn more about customizing the design, layout, and modules on your space, read Your space, your style: Personalizing your Windows Live space.

Invite friends

The simplest way to let your friends and family know about your space is to add them to your friends list. Then, when you go to Spaces home, you'll see the latest updates from your friends and Messenger contacts.

1.

In the Welcome to your space module, click Invite friends.

2.

Type the e-mail addresses of your friends and family or select them from your contact list.

3.

Click Send.

Your friends and family will receive an e-mail message letting them know that you've added them to your friends list. After they click Be friends in the e-mail message, your friends will appear on your friends list and you will appear on theirs (until they click Be friends they will appear in your friends list with “Invited” under their profile picture).

Set permissions

Your space can be as private or as public as you want. By using permissions, you can control who can see your space.

1.

In the Welcome to your space module, click Change permissions.

2.

Select who can view your space: Anyone on the Internet, People I choose, or Just me.

If you select People I choose you can choose people from your Messenger contacts, your friends list, or your contact list.

3.

Click Save.

If someone tries to view your space and they don't have permission, they can send you an e-mail message to request access.

A space with a blog, a book list, and the start of a friends list
You can create a blog, lists, and invite friends to view your space



© 2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.