How to deactivate your Facebook Messenger account

It is possible to deactivate your Facebook Messenger account if you no longer need it. However, the manipulation requires first to deactivate his Facebook account.

With over a billion people using it regularly, Messenger is arguably one of the most popular instant messengers in the world. But there are also many individuals who do not use it at all. And then there are those who, for one reason or another, no longer want to deal with it. Then the question arises as to how to get rid of it.

The easiest: uninstall Messenger

In this regard, the easiest way is to uninstall the dedicated application that is on your smartphone so that you no longer have it in front of you.

This has the advantage of not preventing you from using the Facebook application if you want to follow the news of your loved ones and interact with them or participate in groups. But its flaw — for someone who wants to escape Messenger — is that it alerts you if you have unread chats. Except that you can't read them on Facebook: you need messaging. All that remains is to turn off all notifications.

The most rigorous: deactivate Messenger

More radical than the first method is the pure and simple deactivation of his Messenger profile – we are talking here about deactivation and not deletion. Clearly, if you opt for this process, you can at any time retrace your steps and reopen your account and your conversations normally. However, it must be borne in mind that this manipulation has repercussions on Facebook.

Indeed, it is impossible to neutralize Messenger without deactivating Facebook at the same time.

How to deactivate your Facebook account?

If this is not a problem for you, then you will have to deal with Facebook first. It is only once this step has been taken that you can tackle messaging. To do this, log into your profile and go to the settings, by clicking on the arrow pointing at the bottom.

In the side menu, click on “Settings” then go to the line “Your Facebook information”.

In the center of the menu, you will see the option "Deactivation and deletion". Choose the first option offered, and not the second, because it is irreversible. Note that disabling Facebook does not affect Messenger. From there, you have to confirm your decision and enter your password to verify that you are indeed at the origin of this request.

The message that Facebook sends when an account has just been deactivated.

How to deactivate Messenger?

At that point, you can tackle Messenger:

Go to the application (on Android or iOS) then go to the settings by clicking on your portrait at the top left.

Then, go to "Legal notices and policies" to see the option "Deactivate Messenger". If you have not deactivated Facebook beforehand, this line does not appear.

You will then have to confirm that you are indeed at the origin of the maneuver by entering your password in the choice. Again, the manipulation can be reversed whenever you want, by logging in normally with your credentials. The application, if you reconnect, will ask you again if it can access your contacts, which allows it, among other things, to find your conversations.

A few screens to pass to deactivate Messenger.

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Article originally published on March 06, 2020 and updated on August 22, 2021

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