Meta to discontinue Mac and Windows Messenger apps

For macOS and Windows users who depend on Messenger, a significant change is on the horizon. Facebook has declared its intention to cease support for its Desktop applications.

This discontinuation has been officially confirmed and detailed on their Help Center pages. Although Meta has yet to provide a precise date for when these apps will be deprecated, users can expect to receive an in-app notification once the process is initiated.

This notification will serve as a heads-up, offering a 60-day grace period during which the app can still be utilized before it is completely withdrawn from service.

Therefore, users should begin exploring alternative communication platforms in anticipation of this upcoming change.

After 60 days have passed, the app will cease to function. Meta advises users to enable secure storage and set up a PIN to preserve their chat history before this occurs.

Most users attempting to access the app post-deprecation will be automatically redirected to Facebook.com. Users who access Messenger without a Facebook account will be rerouted to Messenger.com.

The app has already been removed from the Mac App Store, preventing new downloads. Mobile versions (iOS, Android) are expected to remain operational.

This news is not entirely unexpected. In September 2024, Meta replaced the original Messenger with a Progressive Web App, which quickly gained a reputation for being unreliable and incomplete.