Meta has confirmed it will shut down the stand-alone Messenger desktop applications for both Windows and Mac. The shutdown is scheduled to take place on December 15.
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Starting from mid-December, users will no longer be able to sign into the dedicated applications. Those attempting to access the service will be redirected automatically to the Facebook website to use Messenger.
End of app access and transition period
Those currently using the desktop apps will receive an in-app notification once the process to discontinue the service begins, according to the information on a Messenger help page. The notice indicates that Mac Messenger app users will have 60 days to use the application before it is completely deactivated. Meta suggests that users delete the app, as it will cease to function.
The company is notifying users in advance to allow time for them to become accustomed to alternative ways of accessing the messaging service. Windows users can switch to the Facebook desktop app. Both Windows and Mac users can access the service via the web version of Messenger.
Secure storage and chat history
Before switching to the online version, Meta has asked users to enable secure storage and create a PIN in order to guarantee that their conversation history is preserved. Users’ conversation history will be accessible on all platforms after they switch to Facebook. By navigating to Settings (located above their profile picture), choosing Privacy & Safety, and then End-to-end encrypted chats, users can verify whether secure storage is enabled. To see if “Turn on secure storage” is turned on, they should then select “Message storage”.
This comes after Meta’s September 2024 decision to switch from the original native Messenger client to a progressive web client. The transition effectively ends the days of separate desktop apps for Messenger and unifies access to the service through web browsers or the main Facebook app.
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