After more than a decade as one of the most popular messaging apps, Facebook Messenger is officially being retired in its current form. Meta confirmed that starting in April 2026 users will no longer be able to send messages through the standalone Messenger app or its separate web service. Instead, conversations will be moved to facebook.com/messages.
According to the announcement, the decision responds to users’ preference for other messaging platforms and Meta’s effort to simplify its services by integrating messaging back into the main Facebook experience. Anyone trying to access chats from Messenger.com or the standalone mobile app after the shutdown date will be redirected to the Facebook messaging interface, as long as they are logged in to the social network.
Users without a Facebook account who currently use Messenger may still access chats through the mobile app, but desktop and web messaging will require a Facebook login after the transition.
What does this mean for Messenger users?
It means that traditional Messenger, as a separate platform, will come to an end, and all messaging will be handled through Facebook’s main site, streamlining communication but changing how millions have chatted for years.