Key Points
- App Shutdown: Meta will permanently shut down its Messenger desktop apps for both Windows and macOS starting December 15, 2025.
- Transition Period: Users will receive in-app notifications and have a 60-day grace period to migrate their usage.
- Alternatives: After the shutdown, users must use the Facebook website, the Messenger web version (Messenger.com), or the mobile apps.
- Chat History: Meta advises users to enable the “Secure Storage” feature and set a PIN to ensure their chat history is safely transferred and synced.
- Strategic Shift: The move is likely part of Meta’s long-term strategy to unify its messaging platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
New Delhi: Meta has announced a significant shift in its product strategy, confirming that it will be discontinuing its standalone Messenger desktop applications for Windows and macOS. In an official statement, the company announced that the apps will be completely retired on December 15, 2025. This move will affect millions of users who rely on the dedicated desktop software for communication.
After this date, users will no longer be able to log in or use the desktop applications. All messaging functionalities will be redirected to web-based platforms.
Notification and Transition Plan
To ensure a smooth transition, Meta will begin sending in-app notifications to all active users of the Messenger desktop app. According to information released on Meta’s help page, this notification will mark the beginning of a 60-day grace period. During this two-month window, users can continue to use the app but are encouraged to switch to an alternative platform.
Meta has explicitly advised users to delete the app from their systems, as it will become entirely non-functional after the 60-day period concludes.
How to Continue Using Messenger
While the dedicated desktop applications are being retired, users will still have multiple ways to access their Messenger chats on a computer:
- Facebook Website: The integrated chat feature on the main Facebook website will remain fully functional.
- Messenger.com: Users can visit the dedicated web version of Messenger for a full-screen chat experience similar to the desktop app.
- Mobile Apps: The Messenger apps for iOS and Android will not be affected by this change.
Protecting Your Chat History
To address user concerns about losing their conversation history, Meta has provided a key recommendation. The company urges users to enable the “Secure Storage” feature within their Messenger settings and create a PIN. This feature provides an extra layer of security for end-to-end encrypted chats and ensures that your full chat history is securely backed up and restored when you log in on a new device or platform.
Meta has assured users that once they transition to the web or mobile versions, their chat history will automatically sync across all devices, preventing any data loss.
The Strategy Behind the Shutdown
While Meta has not provided an explicit, official reason for discontinuing the desktop apps, industry analysts believe the decision is a strategic step toward the company’s long-term goal of creating a unified messaging ecosystem. For years, Meta has been working on integrating the chat functionalities of its core platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
By streamlining its offerings and phasing out standalone products like the Messenger desktop app, Meta can focus its engineering and development resources on building a more seamless, cross-platform communication experience. This move simplifies the user experience by consolidating access points and aligns with the broader industry trend of web-based applications that are platform-agnostic.
