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Meta to discontinue Messenger desktop apps for Mac and Windows
The move marks the end of Meta’s desktop-based Messenger experience, a year after it transitioned the app to a Progressive Web App (PWA) in September 2024.
The move marks the end of Meta’s desktop-based Messenger experience, a year after it transitioned the app to a Progressive Web App (PWA) in September 2024.
Meta has announced that it will discontinue its standalone Messenger desktop applications for Mac and Windows on 15 December 2025, redirecting users to access the service through the Facebook website instead.
The company confirmed the shutdown to TechCrunch on Thursday, noting that users will no longer be able to log into the apps once the change takes effect. Upon attempting to sign in, they will automatically be redirected to Facebook.com to continue using Messenger.
A notice on Messenger’s help page states, “If you’re using the Messenger desktop apps, you’ll get an in-app notification once the deprecation process begins. You will have 60 days to use the Mac Messenger app before it is fully deprecated. Once the 60 days are over, you’ll be blocked from using the Mac Messenger app. We encourage you to delete the app since it will no longer be usable.”
The move, first spotted by AppleInsider, marks the end of Meta’s desktop-based Messenger experience, a year after it transitioned the app to a Progressive Web App (PWA) in September 2024.
Meta said it is notifying users in advance to allow time for transition and to ensure chat data is securely backed up. Windows users can continue to access Messenger via the Facebook desktop app, while both Mac and Windows users can use the web version.
The company is advising users to enable secure storage and set a PIN to safeguard their chat history before switching to the web. Once migrated, chat data will sync across all devices. Users can confirm whether secure storage is active by selecting Privacy & Safety → End-to-end encrypted chats → Message storage in Messenger’s settings.
While the decision streamlines Meta’s product ecosystem, it is likely to disappoint desktop users who preferred a standalone experience. The company has not disclosed whether a new or redesigned version of Messenger for desktop is planned.
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