Meta to shut down Messenger app for Mac and Windows, here's why

Messenger

Meta is officially pulling the plug on its desktop Messenger apps for both Mac and Windows, with users being redirected to use Facebook or Messenger.com instead. The company has started notifying users that the standalone app will be deprecated within 60 days, after which it will stop working entirely.

Once the deprecation process begins, users will receive in-app notifications and will have two months to transition to the web-based version. After that period, they’ll be blocked from logging into the app, and Meta recommends deleting it altogether.

What happens to your messages?

For users worried about losing old messages, Meta says chat history will remain available — but only if secure storage is turned on. The feature allows encrypted conversations to be safely saved and synced across devices. Users can check if it’s enabled by heading to Settings → Privacy & Safety → End-to-end Encrypted Chats → Message Storage and ensuring secure storage is active.

Messenger-only users — those who don’t have a linked Facebook account — won’t be left out either. They’ll be redirected to Messenger.com, where they can continue messaging without needing to create a Facebook profile.

The move is part of Meta’s broader effort to simplify its desktop experience and consolidate its messaging ecosystem around the web and mobile platforms. The Mac version of Messenger was first introduced in 2020, with a Windows version following soon after. However, both saw limited adoption compared to the mobile app and browser-based chat.

By phasing out the desktop clients, Meta is streamlining development and maintenance while nudging users towards Messenger’s encrypted web experience — which now supports features like secure PIN setup and synced chat backups.