LINE
Also called line messenger, line app
A messenger popular in Japan and Taiwan with a Windows client. The process is LINE.exe.
What you need to know
LINE is popular in Japan and Taiwan. It is not WeChat.
LINE.exe is the Windows client. WeChat is Tencent. KakaoTalk is Kakao. Phone login still starts from the LINE mobile app.
- What is it?
- Chat
- Still current?
- Yes, see Current status
- Official download?
- Use the vendor link in this article
What is LINE?
LINE for Windows is LY Corporation's desktop client. Stickers, Keep, and LINE VOOM are LINE features. KakaoTalk has none of those names.
If you have never used it
LINE is the chat network that grew out of Japan. You get it from line.me, not from a Kakao or Tencent store tile. After install, LINE.exe lives under AppData\Local\LINE. A Korean group that said "Kakao me" wants KakaoTalk.exe instead. WeChat is a third network with a Tencent path.
What is it used for?
Threads and LINE stickers. WeChat official accounts are a different product.
LINE storage features. They are not OneDrive.
The Windows app keeps LINE pings on the PC. The phone app can stay the authenticator.
Who is it for?
- Families and coworkers who already exchange LINE IDs in Japan or Taiwan
- Shops that take orders through LINE Official accounts
- Travelers who were told to scan a LINE QR, not a Kakao QR
Current status
Actively developed by LY Corporation. The Windows build is a linked device next to the Android or iOS app.
How old is it?
NHN Japan shipped LINE in 2011 after the Tohoku earthquake, when SMS networks failed. Naver then LINE Corporation ran it. In 2023 LINE and Yahoo Japan merged under LY Corporation. The Windows client is a companion to the phone app, not a 1999 ICQ clone.
Versions
Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.
System requirements
Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.
Minimum
| Operating system | A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor |
|---|---|
| RAM | Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more. |
Resource profile
- CPU demand
- Follows what you open inside the app
- RAM demand
- Follows documents, tabs, or libraries
Installed processes
These executables belong to this product when it is installed.
| LINE.exe | Main Windows executable |
|---|
Startup components
LINE Settings can reopen the AppData client at logon. That toggle does not start KakaoTalk.exe.
File locations
| Typical install | C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Local\LINE\ |
|---|
File formats
Common problems
Desktop waits on mobile login
LINE documents a QR or pairing flow. That is expected.
People close WeChat to stop LINE stickers
Wrong network. LINE.exe is this product.
Getting unstuck
Install from line.me/en/download
A LINE gold exe is junk.
Use help.line.me for pairing errors
WeChat help will not name LINE Keep.
Quit LINE.exe from the tray
Closing the window can leave the desktop client resident.
Alternatives
WhatsApp is the usual US fallback. KakaoTalk wins in Korea. WeChat wins in China-facing work. None of those read a LINE Keep album.
Official help and downloads
Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.
| Download | line.me/en/download Official installer or vendor page |
|---|---|
| Help | help.line.me/ Vendor support |
| Official site | line.me/en/download Start here, not a random exe host |
Related hardware
A modest CPU is enough. Stickers and albums use disk more than a GPU name.
Technical details
Technical details
Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.
Sources and verification
Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.
- LINE official site · Vendor product page
- LINE help · Vendor support
- Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.
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