Meta will retire its Messenger desktop applications for Windows and Mac on 2025-12-15. Users will transition to Facebook.com or Messenger.com for messaging after this date.
Change Timeline and Applications
- Messenger standalone apps for Windows and Mac to shut down: 2025-12-15.
- Named transition period: Users receive a 60-day in-app notice.
- Post-deadline actions: Redirect to Facebook.com or Messenger.com.
Meta advises users to delete the desktop applications as they will no longer function after the deadline. The company is communicating this transition through an in-app notification, providing a 60-day window for users to adjust.
Conversation Preservation Process
Meta has outlined steps for preserving chat history:
- Open Messenger desktop app and go to Settings.
- Choose Privacy & Safety, then End-to-End Encrypted Chats.
- Select Message Storage, enable secure storage, and create a PIN.
These steps ensure that chat history remains accessible on web platforms. Secure storage is necessary to maintain conversations beyond the shutdown.
Ongoing Services and Alternatives
While Messenger desktop apps are ending, WhatsApp Desktop will continue to operate. It mirrors mobile app capabilities, supporting text, voice, and video communications once linked to a phone.
In September 2024, Meta moved to a Progressive Web App for Messenger, hinting at broader digital strategy shifts without specifying reasons for discontinuing the desktop apps. Transitioning users will find history intact if secure storage was configured before moving online.
