Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has announced a significant shift in its messaging strategy. The company has revealed plans to discontinue the Messenger app for desktop users, affecting billions of devices worldwide. This decision comes as Meta encourages users to take immediate action to preserve their chat histories before the app is fully phased out.
In an official memo, Meta stated that the Messenger app is being “deprecated” for both Mac and Windows operating systems. Users will still have access to Messenger through the official website, but those relying on the dedicated desktop application will need to transition to the web version in the coming weeks.
“The Messenger app for Mac is being deprecated,” Meta clarified on its support page. “After deprecation, you won’t be able to log into this app and will be automatically redirected to use Facebook’s website for messaging.” By mid-December, the Messenger app will be completely inaccessible on both Windows and Mac computers.
To facilitate this transition, Meta plans to notify users through pop-up alerts within the app. Once the grace period concludes, access to the app will be entirely blocked, rendering it unusable. Meta advises users to delete the app from their computers once the shutdown is finalized.
“If you’re using the Messenger desktop apps, you’ll receive an in-app notification once the deprecation process begins,” the company stated. “You will have 60 days to use the Mac Messenger app before it is fully deprecated. We encourage you to delete the app since it will no longer be usable.”
While Meta has not disclosed the specific reasons behind this decision, it is likely attributed to declining usage rates. The costs associated with developing, maintaining, and securing the desktop applications may not justify their continued existence, especially as many users prefer the convenience of the Messenger website.
For those who use Messenger without a Facebook account, the transition will still allow access through Messenger.com, ensuring that users can log in on desktop or laptop devices without needing to create a Facebook account.
HOW TO SAVE YOUR CHATS
Meta emphasizes the importance of saving chat histories before the app’s discontinuation. Users are encouraged to enable secure storage in Messenger and set up a PIN from their desktop app to ensure their chat history is preserved when moving to the web version. “Once you transition to Facebook.com, your chat history will be available on all platforms,” Meta explained.
To check if secure storage is activated, users can navigate to the Settings icon above their profile photo, select Privacy & Safety, and then choose End-To-End Encrypted Chats > Message Storage. This simple process can safeguard valuable conversations.
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Meta provides a detailed explanation of its end-to-end encryption, which ensures that only the intended recipients can access messages and calls. “End-to-end encrypted messages and calls ensure only you and the people you’re communicating with can see or listen to what is sent, and no one else, not even Meta, can do so,” the company stated. This security measure involves unique keys for each device in a conversation, ensuring that only authorized users can unlock the messages.
The closure of the Messenger desktop app will impact a vast number of devices, with over 1.4 billion PCs running on Windows and an estimated 100 million Mac users globally. Despite the significant user base of Facebook, which exceeds three billion monthly users, the majority engage with the platform via mobile applications or the desktop website.
