The BRICS TimesFacebook’s parent company Meta officially announced it will completely discontinue the dedicated Messenger desktop applications for both Mac and Windows starting December 15, 2025.
Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has officially declared a major change. It will completely shut down the dedicated Messenger desktop applications for Mac and Windows on December 15, 2025. After this specific date, users needing messaging will be automatically redirected to the main Facebook website. This means Meta will no longer offer a dedicated desktop app experience, a feature that was available and active for several years.
Details on the Shutdown
According to a report from AppleInsider, Meta has begun sending in-app notifications to users about the upcoming shutdown. The company is giving users approximately 60 days to smoothly transition to the new web-based system. Following this grace period, logging into the Messenger desktop apps will be permanently blocked. Meta also advises users to uninstall (delete) the app once it fully stops functioning.
Meta’s official support page clearly states, “The Messenger app for Mac is being discontinued. After this, you will not be able to log in to this app and will be automatically redirected to the Facebook website for chat.”
Meta’s Move Towards Web-Based Messaging
This significant step by Meta is the next phase following its transition to a Progressive Web App (PWA) last year. This change highlights the company’s broader strategy to focus on a browser-based experience. Following the shift initiated in September 2024, Meta is now primarily centralizing its entire messaging service onto the web.
While Windows users can still access the core Facebook desktop app, both Mac and Windows users will have to rely on Facebook.com to access Messenger. To ensure an easier transition, Meta suggests that users activate their Secure Storage for chat history and set a PIN. They should also confirm their settings under Privacy & Safety > End-to-End Encrypted Chats > Message Storage. This measure will help users keep their chat history secure across all their devices.
User Disappointment
This decision might disappoint many users, especially those who preferred the desktop app for professional chatting and easy multitasking during work. However, Meta assures that key features will still be available on the Facebook web version. These features include encrypted chats, secure messaging, and media sharing capabilities.
