Meta to retire Messenger app for Windows and Mac
What's the story
Meta has announced its decision to discontinue the standalone desktop apps of Messenger for Windows and Mac. The move will come into effect on December 15. After this date, users will be automatically redirected to the Facebook website to access Messenger services. The company has already started notifying users about this change in a bid to give them time to adapt.
Transition details
Transitioning to the web version
As part of the transition, users who have been using the Messenger desktop apps will get an in-app notification when the deprecation process starts. They will have two months to switch to the web-based version of Messenger. After this period, they won't be able to log into the app anymore. Meta recommends users delete the app as it won't work anymore after this change.
Strategic shift
Progressive Web App replacement
The decision to discontinue the desktop apps comes a year after Meta replaced the native Messenger app with a Progressive Web App in September 2024. The company is now urging users to enable secure storage and set a PIN for their chat history before switching to the web version. Once on Facebook.com, their chat history will be accessible across all platforms.
Message retention
Chat history will remain available
For those worried about losing their old messages, Meta has assured that chat history will remain available if secure storage is enabled. This feature lets encrypted conversations be safely saved and synced across devices. Users can check if it's active by going to Settings > Privacy & Safety > End-to-end Encrypted Chats > Message Storage and ensuring secure storage is turned on.
User inclusion
For users without a Facebook account
Even those who use Messenger without a linked Facebook account won't be left out in this transition. They will be redirected to Messenger.com where they can continue messaging without having to create a Facebook profile. This move is part of Meta's larger strategy to streamline its desktop experience and bring its messaging ecosystem into line with web and mobile platforms.