Key Highlights:

• Meta will shut down the standalone Messenger website in April 2026.
• Web users will be redirected to Facebook Messages to continue chats.
• Messenger-only users without Facebook must rely on the mobile app.
• The move follows the shutdown of Messenger desktop apps for Windows and Mac.

Meta is shutting down Messenger’s standalone website. Starting April 2026, users will no longer be able to access messenger.com. Instead, anyone who wants to use ut on the web must log in through Facebook.

According to a help page published by Meta, users visiting messenger.com after the shutdown will be automatically redirected to facebook.com/messages. Conversations will remain available there or on the mobile app.

The update marks another step in Meta’s effort to consolidate its messaging platforms.

Why is the website shutting down?

Meta has not cited a single reason. However, the change reduces the number of platforms the company needs to maintain. The shutdown comes just months after Meta discontinued standalone desktop apps for Windows and macOS.

At that time, users were already being redirected to the Facebook website instead of the web interface. The website shutdown now completes that transition.

What happens to users without Facebook accounts?

This is where the change hits hardest.

If you use Messenger without a Facebook account, you will no longer be able to message on the web once the site shuts down. Your only option will be the Messenger mobile app.

Meta says users can restore their chat history on any supported platform using their Messenger backup PIN. If the PIN is forgotten, it can be reset. However, web access without Facebook will not return.

How is Meta informing users?

Meta is displaying pop-up notifications on the Messenger website and app to alert users about the change. The update was first spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who often tracks upcoming Meta platform changes.

The notification clearly states that messenger.com will no longer be available after April 2026.

Why are users upset about the shutdown?

Many users have taken to social media to express frustration. A common concern is being forced to rely on Facebook’s website for messaging, especially among users who have deactivated their Facebook accounts.

For years, Messenger was positioned as a standalone service. This move reverses that separation.

A quick look at Messenger’s long arc

Messenger began as Facebook Chat in 2008. It became a standalone app in 2011. In 2014, Facebook removed messaging from its main app to push Messenger adoption. In 2023, Meta reversed course and began merging Messenger back into Facebook.

Now, with the Messenger website shutting down, that integration is nearly complete. Messenger remains a key product, but increasingly tied to Facebook.