Facebook Messenger’s desktop app is officially retired as of December 15, 2025. Users on Mac and Windows are now being directed to the Facebook website to continue accessing the messaging service.
Originally launched at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Messenger’s desktop app struggled to match business-focused competitors like Zoom, lacking features such as large video call support, screensharing, and easy link sharing. Signs of the app’s declining importance surfaced well before its shutdown announcement in October. Facebook began merging Messenger back into the main Facebook app in 2023, signaling a shift in strategy.
The desktop app underwent multiple technology changes over the years. On Mac, it moved from an Electron app to a React Native Desktop app, and most recently used Catalyst, which allows iPad apps to run on Mac but has faced criticism from both developers and users for feeling non-native. On Windows, the app became a progressive web app last year. These changes, combined with Meta’s broader strategy to integrate Messenger back into Facebook, likely contributed to declining demand for a standalone desktop app.
This fall, Meta warned users about the deprecation and advised setting up a PIN to preserve chat history before transitioning to the web version. Users without Facebook accounts are being redirected to Messenger.com, where they can log in without creating an account. Additional guidance for Mac and Windows users is available through Facebook’s help center.
FB Messenger for Windows desktop deprecated as of 15 December 2025. pic.twitter.com/Yh1mLqJFUi
— Allen Lorbes (@AllenLorbes) December 15, 2025