Meta has confirmed that it will officially shut down its standalone Messenger desktop apps for Windows and Mac on December 15, 2025. After this date, users will no longer be able to log into the apps and will be automatically redirected to Messenger on Facebook.com to continue their conversations.
This decision marks the end of Messenger’s dedicated desktop experience, following Meta’s shift toward web-based tools and Progressive Web Apps.
Messenger Desktop Apps Are Being Discontinued
A Messenger Help Center page explains that desktop app users will receive in-app notifications once the deprecation process begins. For Mac users specifically, there will be a 60-day window before full deactivation.
“You will have 60 days to use the Mac Messenger app before it is fully deprecated,” the page reads. “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 decision was first spotted by AppleInsider and later confirmed by Meta to TechCrunch.
What Should Users Do Next?
Meta recommends that affected users transition to alternative platforms:
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Windows users can switch to the Facebook desktop app or access Messenger via their web browser.
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Mac users are encouraged to use Messenger on Facebook.com.
These web-based options will remain available and fully functional beyond the shutdown date.
Preserve Your Chat History with Secure Storage
To ensure your conversations are not lost during the transition, Meta is urging users to enable secure storage and set up a PIN. Once secure storage is activated, your messages will be accessible across all devices, including the web version of Messenger.
How to Enable Secure Storage:
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Open Messenger and click the Settings icon above your profile picture.
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Go to Privacy & Safety > End-to-End Encrypted Chats.
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Click on Message Storage.
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Make sure “Turn on secure storage” is enabled.
This step is essential to keeping your encrypted chats available after moving away from the desktop apps.
Timeline Recap
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Now: In-app deprecation notifications begin.
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Next 60 Days: Mac users can still use the app until it is fully disabled.
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December 15, 2025: All users lose access to Messenger desktop apps and will be redirected to the web version.
📲 Why Is Meta Shutting Down the Desktop Apps?
This move comes about a year after Meta replaced its native Messenger app with a Progressive Web App (PWA) in September 2024. By ending support for separate desktop apps, Meta appears to be focusing on streamlining Messenger across mobile, web, and PWA platforms.