Meta to close Messenger website in April 2026, redirect users to Facebook

Facebook Messenger

• Meta will shut down messenger.com in April 2026
• Web users will be redirected to facebook.com/messages
• Messenger mobile app will remain available for chats

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Meta is discontinuing the standalone Messenger website, marking another step in its gradual consolidation of messaging services. From April 2026, users will no longer be able to access messenger.com, and web-based chats will instead be routed through Facebook, according to an update posted on the company’s help pages.

Web users redirected to Facebook

According to Meta, users visiting messenger.com after April 2026 will automatically be redirected to facebook.com/messages to continue conversations on desktop. Messaging will still be available through the Messenger mobile app.

For users who rely on Messenger without an active Facebook account, the change narrows their options. They will only be able to continue conversations via the mobile app. Chat history can still be restored using the PIN created during Messenger’s secure backup process. Those who have forgotten their PIN will be able to reset it.

The decision follows Meta’s earlier move to shut down standalone Messenger desktop apps for Windows and Mac. At the time, the company began redirecting desktop users to Facebook’s web interface, signalling that the independent Messenger website could eventually face the same fate.

The change was first spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, with Meta now notifying users through pop-up messages on both the Messenger website and app.

A broader consolidation strategy

The shutdown indicates Meta’s longer-term effort to streamline its messaging infrastructure. Messenger began life as Facebook Chat in 2008 before being spun out as a separate app in 2011. In 2014, Facebook removed messaging from its main mobile app to drive adoption of Messenger as a standalone service.

However, that strategy began to reverse in recent years. In 2023, Facebook started reintegrating Messenger features back into its core app, signalling a shift away from maintaining parallel platforms.

Users have expressed frustration online, particularly those who have deactivated their Facebook accounts but still rely on Messenger via the web. For them, being redirected to Facebook may feel like a step backwards.