FACEBOOK bosses have revealed plans to shut down the Messenger app on billions of devices.
Meta – which owns Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp – says that you need to act to save your chats from vanishing.
The social media giant has issued a memo warning that Messenger is being “deprecated” for both Mac and Windows.
You’ll still be able to access Messenger via the official website.
But if you have the dedicated desktop app, it’ll be shut down in a matter of weeks.
“The Messenger app for Mac is being deprecated,” Meta explains on a support page for the Mac shutdown.
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“After deprecation, you won’t be able to log into this app and will be automatically redirected to use Facebook website for messaging.”
By mid-December, it will no longer be possible to use the Messenger app on Windows or Mac computers.
Meta says that it will begin warning users about the change through a pop-up alert.
And once the grace period is over, you’ll be totally blocked from the app.
It will become completely useless, with Meta urging users to simply delete it from their computers once the shutdown is finished.
“If you’re using the Messenger desktop apps, you’ll get an in-app notification once the deprecation process begins,” Meta said.
“You will have 60 days to use the Mac Messenger app before it is fully deprecated.
“Once the 60 days are over, you’ll be blocked from using the Mac Messenger app.
“We encourage you to delete the app since it will no longer be usable.”
Meta hasn’t revealed exactly why the apps are being shut down, but it’s likely due to lack of use.
Developing and maintaining the apps – as well as keeping them secure from cyber-attacks – costs time and money.
And many desktop and laptop users will simply use the Facebook Messenger website instead.
Meta said that if you’re using Messenger without a Facebook account, you’ll be redirected to Messenger.com.
This will still let you log in to Messenger on a desktop or laptop without you needing to create a Facebook account.
HOW TO SAVE YOUR CHATS
Meta says that your chat history will be saved “as long as you take the necessary steps“.
“Users who haven’t enabled secure storage in Messenger should turn on secure storage and setup a PIN from their desktop app to save their chat history before moving to the web version,” Meta explained.
“Once you transition to Facebook.com, your chat history will be available on all platforms.”
It only takes a few seconds to see if you have secure storage turned on.
WHAT IS FACEBOOK MESSENGER ENCRYPTION?
Here’s Meta’s official explanation…
“End-to-end encrypted messages and calls ensure only you and the people you’re communicating with can see or listen to what is sent, and no one else, not even Meta, can do so,” Facebook explained.
“For reporting and optional features, you or someone in the chat may still choose to share messages with Meta.
“Every device in an end-to-end encrypted conversation has a special key to protect the conversation.
“When you send a message in an end-to-end encrypted conversation, your device locks the message as it’s sending.
“This message can only be unlocked by a device that has one of the keys for that conversation.
“No one can access your messages or calls except the people with the keys.
“You and whoever you’re talking to in end-to-end encrypted conversations are the only people with unique, matching keys.”
Picture Credit: Meta
Just go to the Settings icon (a cogwheel) above your profile photo.
Then choose Privacy & Safety > End-To-End Encrypted Chats > Message Storage.
You’ll be able to turn on secure storage there.
The closure affects a vast number of devices. More than 1.4 billion PCs run on Windows globally, with estimates suggesting more than 100 million people use Macs.
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According to Meta, more than three billion people use Facebook at least once a month around the world.
However, the vast majority of these users will be logging on via mobile apps or the desktop website.
