Khaberni - Meta Platforms intends to make a new amendment to its digital services system, by discontinuing the standalone Messenger website starting from April 2026.
This step reflects a strategic shift to reintegrate messaging services within the main Facebook platform.
What exactly will stop?
According to recent technical reports, messenger.com will no longer be available for sending or receiving messages starting next April, and support for the standalone Messenger app on computers will be terminated.
Users will be automatically redirected to the messaging page within Facebook via the link facebook.com/messages, while the Messenger app on smartphones will continue to operate unchanged.
Why is Meta making this decision?
The decision comes as part of a broader plan to simplify the structure of messaging services and reduce operational costs, by merging different tools within a unified platform instead of operating separate platforms that need independent maintenance and updates.
The company had discontinued in October last year the Messenger application for desktop computers, an early indicator of its direction towards reducing standalone services and redirecting users to the parent platform.
What about integrating Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram?
Meta had previously announced plans to merge the backend messaging systems between Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram Direct, with the aim of creating a unified technical structure that allows messaging across different apps.
However, recent developments indicate that the company is currently aiming to refocus messaging within Facebook, instead of expanding the scope of standalone applications.
These shifts came after a lengthy legal battle that Meta fought with the Federal Trade Commission in the United States, which previously demanded the company to divest WhatsApp and Instagram on antitrust grounds.
But Meta succeeded in winning the case last year, allowing it to reshape its digital strategy without the pressures of dismantling platforms.
What does this mean for users?
Users will not lose their conversations or accounts, but the messaging experience through the browser will become confined within Facebook, enhancing its position as a central hub for digital communication within the Meta ecosystem.
The decision represents a new chapter in the company's restructuring of its services, in the face of increasing competition in the messaging app market, and Meta's efforts to enhance integration and reduce technical complexity.
