If you regularly rely on Meta’s Facebook Messenger app on your desktop to talk to friends and family, there’s bad news this week, as the app has said goodbye.
Call it a less-than-friendly holiday parting gift from Meta as the maker of Facebook tells its app users on Windows and Mac to switch over to the meh-version on the website, or stick to the version on your phone or tablet.
That’s the situation this week, as both the Messenger app on Windows and Mac stop working, with Meta’s desktop page on the matter now simply showing iPhone screenshots, which more or less tells you everything you need to know.
For Mac users, it means the option to keep chatting on Messenger will likely come through the browser, or possibly even through iPhone mirroring found directly in the operating system, while Windows users will likely need to stick to the browser as well (though some phones do offer mirroring on Windows).
It’s another shut down of sorts for Meta, the first occurring earlier this month for under 16s in Australia, as Facebook, Instagram, and Threads complied with the government’s Social Media Minimum Age ban. This one is clearly different, affecting anyone using the desktop Messenger app, and forcing them to go back to their phones, tablets, or the web browser.
At least WhatsApp still offers a desktop app, though given it is owned by Meta, as well, we have to wonder for how much longer.
