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10h ago

Meta to Shut Down Messenger Desktop Apps on Dec. 15, Redirecting Users to the Web

Meta is instructing users to turn on secure storage and set a PIN to keep their chat history as the Mac and Windows clients wind down.

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Overview

  • Existing users have a 60-day deprecation window with in-app notices before logins are blocked.
  • New downloads of the desktop apps are being halted, and Meta says the obsolete apps should be deleted once they stop working.
  • After the cutoff, launching the apps will redirect people to Facebook.com for messaging access.
  • Windows users can switch to the Facebook desktop app, and both Mac and Windows users can use Messenger in a browser.
  • The move continues Meta’s shift away from native desktop clients that began with a PWA transition in September 2024, and the company has not given a reason for the change.