Meta will officially discontinue its standalone Messenger desktop apps for Mac and Windows, effective December 15, 2025. Users of these apps will be redirected to Facebook.com as the company consolidates its messaging services.
Transition Timeline and Recommendations
Messenger will display an in-app notification when the deprecation process starts. Mac users will have 60 days from notification to transition before the app becomes unusable. After December 15, users won't be able to log in to the desktop apps and will be directed to use Messenger on the Facebook website.
- Messenger desktop apps for Mac and Windows will stop functioning on 2025-12-15.
- Mac users have 60 days post-notification to switch.
- Meta recommends enabling Secure Storage and setting up a PIN for chat history access.
- Windows users can use the Facebook desktop app, but Mac users must switch to the web version.
Impact on Users
This change is part of Meta's shift to Progressive Web Apps (PWA), implemented for Messenger in September 2024. While this move provides device-agnostic access, it may frustrate desktop app users who prefer a dedicated experience. As the transition occurs, secure account settings and data backups are advisable to ensure message history remains intact.
