Messenger desktop app bids farewell this December, moves to the web
Meta is giving users 60 days to transition before the chat service becomes web-only.
It’s time to say goodbye, not to a friend, but to the Messenger desktop apps that have lived on our Macs and PCs for years. Meta has confirmed that the standalone Messenger app will officially shut down on 15 December, marking the end of an era for those who preferred chatting without diving into Facebook’s web clutter.
If you open the app after that date, you won’t be able to log in. Instead, you’ll be redirected to Messenger via Facebook.com. Meta says users will receive an in-app notice before the shutdown, giving them about 60 days to back up chats and get used to the web version before the desktop app stops working entirely. It’s already gone from the Mac App Store, so no new downloads are possible, only a brief grace period for those still holding on.
Messenger wasn’t always this tied to the web. It began in 2011 as part of Facebook’s plan to spin off its chat feature into a standalone experience, one that eventually grew into its own mobile ecosystem, with apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS.
That’s the version now fading out. Mobile apps remain untouched, and Meta isn’t scaling back support there, in fact, the focus seems to be entirely on mobile and web, where most engagement happens. Back in 2024, Meta replaced the desktop app with a Progressive Web App (PWA), essentially running Messenger through a browser window. The coming shutdown just seals that transition.
For Meta, it’s a practical move, fewer platforms to maintain, easier updates, and a unified experience across devices. But for users, it’s a small disruption to routine. The desktop app offered something few Meta products do: a clean, distraction-free space. Now, that quiet corner of the internet is gone, replaced by yet another tab in your browser.
Before you log off for good, Meta recommends turning on secure storage to protect your encrypted chat history. You can do that by heading to Privacy & Safety → End-to-End Encrypted Chats → Message Storage, and making sure “Turn on secure storage” is enabled.
In the grand scheme, little changes; you’ll still message your friends the same way. But this farewell feels symbolic. Messenger began as a breakaway from Facebook’s noise; now it’s folding back into it. Maybe that’s where social media is heading: fewer apps, tighter control, and everything inside one browser window.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
