Meta will end its Messenger standalone desktop app for Windows and Mac on December 15th, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday.
Starting December 15th, users will no longer be able to log into the app and will be automatically redirected to the Facebook website to access Messenger.
The Messenger help page states, “If you use the Messenger desktop app, you will receive an in-app notification when the deprecation process begins.” “You can use the Mac Messenger app for 60 days before it is permanently retired. After 60 days, you will be blocked from using the Mac Messenger app. The app will no longer be usable and we recommend that you delete it.”
Meta’s plans to shrink these desktop apps were first spotted by Appleinsider.
The company is currently warning users about the upcoming changes to give them time to get used to other options. For example, Windows users can use the Facebook desktop app, and both Windows and Mac users can access Messenger online.
Meta recommends users enable secure storage and set a PIN to save their chat history before migrating to the web version. When users migrate to Facebook.com, their chat history will be available across all platforms. Users can check whether secure storage is turned on by clicking the settings icon above their profile picture and selecting (Privacy & Safety) > (End-to-End Encrypted Chat). From there, you need to click on “Message Storage” and check if “Enable Secure Storage” is checked.
The move comes a year after Meta replaced its native Messenger app with a progressive web app in September 2024. Of course, Meta’s decision to ditch the desktop app entirely will likely receive some backlash from the app’s avid users.
