Meta has announced the closure of its standalone Messenger website, effective April 2026. Users visiting messenger.com will be redirected to facebook.com/messages, as part of Meta's strategy to streamline its services and cut maintenance costs.
Transition to Facebook Platform
Post-shutdown, users with Facebook accounts can continue messaging through facebook.com/messages or the Messenger mobile app. Those without Facebook accounts will need to rely on the mobile app. To access old chats, users can use a backup PIN or reset it if forgotten.
Background and User Reactions
This decision follows Meta's 2025 shutdown of its desktop apps, aimed at reducing platform complexity and facilitating updates. Some users have expressed dissatisfaction with being redirected to Facebook's interface. Meta has started notifying users of this change via pop-up alerts.
Messenger, initially launched as Facebook Chat in 2008, became a standalone app in 2011. In 2014, Facebook removed messaging from its main mobile app to promote Messenger. By 2023, Meta began reintegrating Messenger into the Facebook app.
