Meta is killing Messenger on Windows — These secure messaging apps are a perfect replacement on PC

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Starting December 15th, Meta will no longer support Messenger on Windows and Mac computers. This change could impact millions of users who rely on the app to easily message their friends.

When the Messenger app stops working, anyone trying to open it on a Windows computer will automatically be taken to the Facebook desktop app. They’ll still be able to use the same messaging features, including making calls on their computer.

I noticed something interesting today – Meta seems to be quietly removing its apps from app stores. Apple Insider first pointed it out, and I checked myself. They were right – Messenger is gone from both the Mac App Store *and* the Microsoft Store. I did a quick search this morning and couldn’t find it anywhere!

Meta will start sending reminders within the app about the upcoming changes, giving you until December 15th to save your chat history.

If you’ve been using the Messenger app without a Facebook account, don’t worry – you can still access it by logging in on the official Messenger website.

How do I save my Meta PC app chat history?

You can keep your chat history in the Meta PC app by taking a few simple steps.

Meta suggests setting up secure storage and a PIN within the Messenger desktop app before it stops working. You can do this through the Messenger website (Messenger.com).

After logging into Messenger on your computer, click your profile picture. You’ll find it in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

1. Click Privacy & safety.

2. Click End-to-end encrypted chats.

3. Click Message storage.

4. Click Turn on secure storage.

Now, you’ll choose how to keep your backups safe. You can save them just on your computer, or you can use your Google or Apple account if you’re using a phone or tablet.

If you don’t want to use either of those options, you can create a PIN or a 40-character code to help you recover your private chats if you switch to a new device.

Best Meta Messenger alternatives on PC

Meta’s recent change has frustrated many PC users who relied on Messenger to avoid using the main Facebook site, which they find cluttered with unwanted content.

As a researcher, I’ve noticed some users relied on Messenger’s PC app as a way to access Facebook without fully engaging with the social media platform. If that’s you, don’t worry! You can easily switch to the Messenger apps for Android or iOS, and currently, there are no plans to discontinue those versions.

However, this might be a good time to make the switch to an entirely different messaging platform.

1. WhatsApp — Keep your comms in the Meta bubble

Facebook, now known as Meta, bought WhatsApp back in 2014 for $16 billion. Since then, WhatsApp has become incredibly popular, with over 3 billion people using it to message each other. Many of your friends and family who you connect with on Messenger are likely already on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has a free app for Windows and Mac computers. You can use it to make voice and video calls, send secure, encrypted messages, and connect with groups and communities.

However, using it does require you to connect a phone number, and some people may prefer to avoid using Meta’s services altogether.

2. Signal — The secure, non-profit messenger

If you’re looking for a secure messaging app that isn’t connected to Meta, I highly recommend Signal. It’s available as a free download for Windows, and now works on devices with ARM-based processors (as of November 2024). You’ll need a phone number to create an account.

Signal is a popular messaging app focused on protecting your privacy and security. As an open-source, non-profit platform, it provides features like secure voice and video calls (including group calls), and encrypted text messaging.

Signal’s security is top-notch—so much so that even Meta (formerly Facebook) now uses its encryption technology to protect messages on platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger.

3. Session — No phone number required for secure messaging

Session is a free and secure messaging app that lets you connect without using a phone number or providing any personal information when you create an account.

Messages are kept private during transmission, and their paths are hidden using a special network that prevents anyone from knowing who sent them or who they’re going to.

I’ve been checking out Session, and it’s pretty cool! They’ve recently added voice and video calling, though it’s still in beta, so it’s a bit of a work in progress. It also lets you create groups and communities, which is awesome. It doesn’t have *all* the bells and whistles just yet, being under development and all, but I think it’s definitely worth trying out to see if it fits what you’re looking for.

The Session app is available for download on computers (PC) from its official website, as well as on Android, iPhone (iOS), Linux, and Mac devices.

Telegram is a well-liked bonus messaging app, and it now works seamlessly on Arm64 devices. While it offers a lot of features – including large group chats similar to GroupMe, helpful bots, channels, and unlimited cloud storage – it’s not perfect. It’s fast and works well on all your devices, but most conversations aren’t automatically encrypted, meaning Telegram stores your messages. This makes it great for communities, but less secure for private chats.

Wrapping it up

Meta might stop supporting Messenger on Windows computers, but don’t worry, there are still plenty of alternatives—and some people actually prefer them.

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2025-10-20 17:12