Meta is set to discontinue its standalone Messenger website, as revealed in a recent company help page. The transition will take place in April, after which users will be redirected to Facebook’s messaging component, accessible at facebook.com/messages, for all their messaging needs on desktop.
Following the shutdown, individuals can still engage in their conversations via the Messenger mobile app. To ease the transition, users will be able to restore their chat history by entering a PIN, the same one used for creating a backup on Messenger. For those who might forget this six-digit code, resetting it will remain an option.
This decision comes on the heels of Meta’s earlier move to phase out Messenger’s standalone desktop applications, suggesting that a shift toward centralizing messaging services within Facebook was anticipated since October.
Messenger’s journey began as Facebook Chat in 2008, evolving into a separate app in 2011. Over the years, Meta has aimed to cultivate Messenger as an independent platform, notably removing chat features from the primary Facebook app in 2014. However, in 2023, Meta started reintegrating Messenger into Facebook, marking a significant shift in the platform’s trajectory.
Key Points:
– Meta will shut down the Messenger standalone website in April.
– Users will be redirected to facebook.com/messages for desktop messaging.
– Users can restore chat history with an existing PIN, which can also be reset.
– The discontinuation follows the closing of Messenger’s desktop apps.
– Messenger has evolved from Facebook Chat since 2008 and has undergone multiple changes in integration with the Facebook app.
