The Messenger desktop app is gone. This isn't.
Messenger is back on your desktop.
Your chats in a fast, native app, with real notifications, calls and shortcuts.
Your chats in a fast, native app, with real notifications, calls and shortcuts.
Sender photos and quick reply, right in the banner.
Encrypted chats included.
No feed, no reels, no distractions.
Draft in peace. Nobody sees “typing…”.
Sounds, Do Not Disturb and dark mode, synced with your phone.
⌘K to search, ⌘1–9 to jump, ⌘+ to zoom.
Pinch or double-click to zoom in.
Dock badge, tray icon, runs in the background.
A few MB. No bundled browser.
Photos, group names and quick reply in every notification, like the old app (macOS).
Other ways to get Messenger on your desktop, as of November 2026.
| fMess | Messenger Next | Caprine | Ferdium | A browser tab | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Made for | Messenger | Messenger | Messenger | Many services in one app | All of Facebook, feed included |
| Source code | Open (MIT) | Closed | Open (MIT) | Open (Apache 2.0) | – |
| Mac download | 4.3 MB | 9.6 MB | 98 MB | 160 MB | – |
| Built on | The system's webview | The system's webview | Electron (a whole Chromium inside) | Electron (a whole Chromium inside) | Your browser |
| Mac app signed | Yes, notarized by Apple | No | Yes | Yes, notarized by Apple | – |
| Latest release | November 2026 | September 2026 | January 2026, before messenger.com closed | September 2026 | – |
Why open source matters here. A Messenger app holds your Facebook login and sees every message you send and receive. fMess's code is public, so you, or anyone, can check what it does with them and build it yourself. With a closed-source app, you take the developer's word for it.
Also in fMess: notifications with the sender's photo and quick reply, calls in encrypted chats (macOS), Zalo and WhatsApp looks, panes you can resize, and the old app's shortcuts.
From each project's GitHub page and its latest Mac download (Apple silicon), checked on November 1, 2026. Signing as macOS's own check (spctl) reports it.
Ctrl on Windows and Linux.
macOS 12 or later
Not sure? Apple menu → About This Mac: “Chip Apple M…” is Apple silicon.
Windows says it protected your PC? Click More info, then Run anyway. fMess isn't code-signed for Windows yet.
macOS won't open fMess? Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.
No. It's an independent, open-source app that shows facebook.com/messages in its own window.
Meta shut it down in April 2026. Chats now live inside facebook.com.
You sign in on Facebook's own page. fMess never sees your password and has no server.
Yes: chats, calls on macOS, photos and voice messages.
