# Live Search

> website by Microsoft

**Wikidata**: [Q1146863](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1146863)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/live-search

## Summary

Live Search is a website.

## Summary
Live Search was a search engine website operated by Microsoft. It served as a predecessor to the company's current search engine, Microsoft Bing. The platform was also known by the aliases MSN Search and Windows Live Search.

## Key Facts
- **Owner:** Microsoft (American multinational technology corporation).
- **Type:** Website / Search engine.
- **Successor:** Replaced by Microsoft Bing.
- **Former URLs:** `http://search.live.com/`.
- **Aliases:** Windows Live Search, MSN Search.
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** `/g/1231909m`.
- **Timeframe:** The "Live Search" branding was utilized by Microsoft roughly between 2007 and 2009 (based on logo history data).
- **Traffic Ranking:** Held a global rank of 17 on SimilarWeb as of July 2022 (data reflects the successor entity/relevant search platform).

## FAQs
### Q: What happened to Live Search?
A: Live Search was discontinued and replaced by Microsoft Bing. It was part of Microsoft's evolution in search technology that began with MSN Search.

### Q: Who created Live Search?
A: Live Search was created and operated by Microsoft, the American technology corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington.

### Q: What was the website address for Live Search?
A: The service was accessible via `http://search.live.com/`.

## Why It Matters
Live Search represents a critical transitional phase in Microsoft's strategy to compete in the internet search market. Before the establishment of the Bing brand, Microsoft attempted to unify its search offerings under the "Live" branding umbrella (following MSN Search). Although the "Live Search" brand was relatively short-lived (approximately 2007–2009), it laid the technical and branding groundwork for Microsoft Bing, which currently stands as one of the world's leading search engines.

The existence of Live Search illustrates the tech industry's competitive shifts during the late 2000s, as Microsoft sought to challenge Google's dominance. Its transition to Bing marked a move towards a more distinct, decision-engine-focused identity. For researchers and market analysts, tracking the lineage from MSN Search to Live Search to Bing provides insight into the persistence and financial commitment required by Microsoft to maintain a foothold in the search industry.

## Notable For
- Being the immediate predecessor to **Microsoft Bing**.
- Operating under the specific URL **`search.live.com`**.
- Having multiple identities, including **Windows Live Search** and **MSN Search**.
- Being part of Microsoft's broader "Windows Live" suite of services during the late 2000s.
- Holding a significant market position eventually inherited by its successor, reflected in a top-20 global traffic rank.

## Body

### Identity and Ownership
Live Search is classified as a website and was fully owned and operated by **Microsoft**, an American multinational technology corporation. Microsoft, founded on April 4, 1975, is headquartered in Redmond, Washington. The creation and management of Live Search fell under Microsoft's software and internet services division. The entity is identified in the Google Knowledge Graph with the ID `/g/1231909m`.

### Operational History and Evolution
The service is distinct in that it served as a bridge between Microsoft's earlier search efforts and its current platform.
*   **Aliases:** Throughout its lifecycle, the platform was referred to as **Windows Live Search** and **MSN Search**.
*   **Timeline:** Historical data regarding the Microsoft Bing logo indicates that the "Live Search" branding was active during the period of **2007–2009**.
*   **Successor:** The service was eventually discontinued and replaced by **Microsoft Bing**.

### Digital Presence and Metrics
Live Search was accessible at the domain **`http://search.live.com/`**. While the specific "Live Search" brand is defunct, the lineage of the search service maintains a significant digital footprint.
*   **Rankings:** Data attributed to the search entity's lineage indicates a **SimilarWeb ranking of 17** as of July 2022.
*   **Wikipedia Presence:** The entity has Wikipedia articles in several languages, including German (de), Esperanto (eo), Italian (it), Mingrelian (xmf), and Chinese (zh).
*   **Sitelinks:** The concept of a "website" (the class Live Search belongs to) was formally defined with an inception date of 1990.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.similarweb.com/top-websites/)