Meta pulls the plug on Messenger desktop app

Technology Dec 15, 2025

Meta has officially shut down the Facebook Messenger desktop app as of December 15, 2025.
If you used the standalone app for chatting or video calls, you'll now need to switch to Messenger on the Facebook website instead.
The desktop version never really caught up with rivals like Zoom, missing features like screen sharing and larger group calls.

What users need to know

If you want to keep your old chats, Meta recommended setting up a PIN before the shutdown so your history isn't lost.
Even if you don't have a Facebook account, you can still use Messenger at Messenger.com.
For anyone needing help with this change—whether you're on Mac or Windows—Facebook's help center has step-by-step guides to make things smoother.