Microsoft LiveWriter released as Open Live Writer in the Windows Store

Go back a couple years and you might remember a blogging tool that Microsoft provided in its suite of “Live” products called LiveWriter. For many, LiveWriter became an addiction. It was an offline blogging tool, allowing bloggers to create and store thoughts and content before publishing publicly. It was a full-featured offering, providing many functions that other tools simply didn’t have.

Microsoft ended support for LiveWriter when the company decided that the entire suite should be deprecated. Customers continued to complain, however. Microsoft probably hoped that the groundswell would eventually die down, but it didn’t.

One Microsoftie, Scott Hanselman, recently took up the mantel to push LiveWriter as an open source app to appease the minor masses. During the first day of Microsoft Ignite 2016, the mega-conference in Atlanta, Scott announced the availability of the blogging tool inside the Windows Store with the new name of Open Live Writer.

Open Live Writer supports connections to a host of blog providers including WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, Moveable Type, DasBlog and others.

The app is available here: Open Live Writer