Meta to retire Messenger app for Windows, Mac on December 15: Details here

Reportedly, Meta confirmed Messenger's desktop apps for Windows and Mac will stop working from December 15, directing users to use Facebook's web version for future access

Meta is discontinuing its stand-alone Messenger desktop apps for Windows and macOS on December 15, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. After this date, users will no longer be able to log into the Messenger desktop apps and will instead be redirected to the Facebook website to continue conversations.

 

According to a Messenger help page, Meta will begin the deprecation process soon and notify users through in-app alerts. “If you are using the Messenger desktop apps, you will get an in-app notification once the deprecation process begins,” the page reads. “You will have 60 days to use the Mac Messenger app before it is fully deprecated. Once the 60 days are over, you will be blocked from using the Mac Messenger app. We encourage you to delete the app since it will no longer be usable.”

 

Meta is now informing users in advance so they can prepare to switch to other access methods. Windows users can continue messaging through the Facebook desktop app, while both Windows and Mac users can use Messenger directly via the Facebook website.

 

Meta also recommends users to turn on secure storage and set up a PIN to ensure their chat history is preserved when transitioning to the web version. Once moved to Facebook’s web version, users’ chats will automatically sync across all supported platforms. For those using Messenger-only accounts, Meta clarified that they can still log in via Messenger online client without needing to create a Facebook account. 

How to check if secure storage is turned on:

• Open Messenger and click the Settings icon above your profile photo.
• Select Privacy & safety
• Go to End-to-end encrypted chats
• Click Message storage.
• Check if Turn on secure storage is enabled

According to TechCrunch, this move follows Meta’s September 2024 decision to replace the original Messenger app with a Progressive Web App (PWA), making it more browser-based. While that change hinted at this outcome, the full shutdown of desktop apps will likely disappoint users who preferred using Messenger separately.