Meta has announced that it will discontinue its standalone Messenger apps for Windows and Mac computers, and the apps will likely stop working after 60 days from now (probably on December 15, 2025). The desktop applications, which allowed users to send messages, make voice and video calls, and receive notifications directly on their computers, will no longer be supported after this period. Users who try to open the apps after the shutdown will be redirected to Messenger.com or Facebook.com, depending on their account setup.
During this transition, users are advised to ensure that their messages and media are properly backed up. The social media behemoth recommends using features like secure storage and a personal PIN to protect conversations, so that all chat history remains accessible after moving to the web-based Messenger or mobile apps. This step will allow users to continue conversations seamlessly even after the desktop apps are discontinued.
The decision follows a longer-term shift by Meta toward web-based messaging. In 2024, the company introduced a Progressive Web App (PWA) version of Messenger, which runs entirely in a browser while offering similar functionalities to the desktop apps. The PWA model reduces the need for separate software updates, simplifies maintenance, and ensures wider accessibility across devices. Additionally, the Messenger desktop app was removed from the Mac App Store earlier this year, signalling that new installations were no longer supported. The move also aligns with the Mark Zuckerberg–led company’s broader strategy of unifying messaging across its ecosystem, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
In parallel, the company is also continuously adding several major features to its Threads app, including a private messaging (DM) feature, aiming to give tough competition to Musk-owned X. The platform is reportedly also testing a long-form text feature to enhance user engagement further and differentiate itself from Instagram.
However, despite all such efforts, the social media giant is still not free from controversies. For example, last month, New York City sued Meta over features like infinite scrolling, claiming they harm youth mental health. Earlier, in October 2024, a federal judge allowed lawsuits from over 30 US states accusing Meta’s platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, of being addictive to children and teens. Recently, the company also faced major criticism after announcing that user AI chat data would be used to personalize ads and feeds across its platforms. Actually, users cannot opt out of this data use, although they can choose not to use Meta AI products.
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