Show
What to Know
This article will explain why you can't deactivate Facebook Messenger and will show you the steps to make sure no one knows when you're using it. These instructions apply to the Messenger app on your mobile device. Can I Temporarily Deactivate Messenger?Unfortunately, there is no way to temporarily deactivate Messenger. You can't even turn Facebook Messenger off. The only way to deactivate Messenger is to deactivate your Facebook account. Hide Your Online Status From Inside MessengerIf you want to use Messenger without getting messages from people who see that you are online, you can change a setting in the Messenger app so it doesn't show you online when you're using it.
With those options toggled off, when you open your Messenger app on your mobile device, it won't show you're online. An alternative to deactivating your Facebook Messenger app is to completely uninstall it. You can use this guide to uninstall the app from Android, or this one to uninstall the app from iOS. One caveat is deleting the Messenger app from your phone will not delete it from your Facebook account. So, you can still access all your messages online when accessing Facebook through a web browser from a desktop or laptop computer. Why Can't I Deactivate My Messenger?Messenger is a part of Facebook. It was originally only available as part of Facebook, but in 2011 it was released as a standalone app and in 2014 the app was cut away from Facebook, so you could have Messenger without a Facebook account. If you have both, however, the Messenger features of Facebook will be connected, and even though you delete the Messenger app from your mobile devices, your messages will live on in the web-based version of Facebook. FAQ
Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Why you should delete Facebook MessengerIs Facebook Messenger private? Not really. Facebook Messenger holds exactly the same personal data as Facebook, and it can linger even after you’ve deactivated your Facebook account. Here are some more reasons why you should delete Facebook Messenger:
How to deactivate MessengerNow we will explain how to deactivate Messenger. Deactivating Messenger is simple. However, if your Messenger account is connected to your Facebook account, you will have to deactivate your Facebook account first. The following Messenger deactivation steps apply to both the iOS and Android platforms: 1. Open Messenger; 2. Click on your profile in the top left corner; 3. Tap Account Settings; 4. Choose Account Ownership and Control; 5. Tap Deactivation and deletion; 6. Choose Deactivate account, tap Continue to account deactivation and follow the instructions on your screen. Just keep in mind that this action will deactivate your Facebook account as you can't deactivate Messenger without deactivating your Facebook. Now when you deactivated Facebook, let's learn how to deactivate Messenger: 1. Open Messenger; 2. Click on your profile in the top left corner; 3. Tap Legal & policies; 4. Tap Deactivate Messenger and follow the instructions on-screen. To reactivate Facebook Messenger, log in with your username and password. Deactivating your Facebook account will not automatically deactivate your Messenger account as the app is separate from Facebook. So what happens when you deactivate Messenger? If you deactivate your Facebook Messenger, your profile won’t appear in its search results. However, your messages and comments will still be visible. So, if you deactivate Facebook and Messenger, what happens to messages? Well, all the messages you sent will still be visible to others. If you want those messages to disappear after a certain time, you can turn on the vanish mode by swiping up while in conversation. Related articles
May 14, 2021 · 4 min read
Jan 13, 2022 · 6 min read Can I delete Messenger without deleting Facebook?No, it’s not possible if your Messenger is tied to your Facebook account. If you’re using a stand-alone version of the app not tied to your Facebook account, you can deactivate your Messenger account by following the points listed above or simply delete the app. In order to delete your Messenger account that is not tied to your Facebook account you should: 1. Tap your profile picture in the top left; 2. Tap Account Settings; 3. Scroll down and tap Delete Your Account and Information; 4. Enter your password and tap Submit. Can I deactivate Messenger without deactivating Facebook?If you wonder, why can’t you deactivate your Messenger, it’s most likely because you didn’t deactivate your Facebook account beforehand. You can’t deactivate Facebook’s Messenger and keep your Facebook account. The only solution would be to turn your chat off by hiding your status and disabling notifications. How to turn off Facebook Messenger
You will now be shown as inactive. You can also disable notifications by:
How to delete your Messenger accountNow that you've already learned how to deactivate Messenger, let's see how to delete your account. To delete you Facebook Messenger account completely on iPhone or Android do the following: 1. Tap your profile picture in the top left; 2. Tap Account Settings; 3. Choose Account Ownership and Control; 4. Tap Deactivation and deletion; 5. Pick Delete account, tap Continue to account deactivation and follow the instructions on screen. Just keep in mind that this action will delete your Facebook account too and will remove all your Facebook and Messenger content. Once the deletion process begins, you won’t be able to reactivate your account or retrieve any of the content you’ve added to Facebook. However, before deleting your account you can download your photos and posts. Choosing to delete Facebook Messenger is a great first step in securing your privacy on social media. However, if you use any other platforms, it's worth checking out our social media privacy tips to see how else you can secure your social life online and learn about other social media privacy issues. Best Facebook Messenger alternatives
Whatever messaging app you use, we strongly recommend you use a VPN. It will encrypt your traffic, and you will communicate safely and privately all the time. Online security starts with a click. Stay safe with the world’s leading VPN How can I remove Messenger from May 2022?Deactivate your messenger app by going to: Messenger settings > account ownership and control > deactivation and deletion > continue > enter password > reason for deactivation > deactivate my account.
Why is there no option to deactivate Messenger?The only way to deactivate Messenger is to first deactivate your Facebook account. If you don't want to go that far, you can disable your active status, or just delete the app. Once you've deactivated your account, you can reactivate it by logging back into Messenger or Facebook.
What happens when you deactivate Messenger 2022?So what happens when you deactivate Messenger? If you deactivate your Facebook Messenger, your profile won't appear in its search results. However, your messages and comments will still be visible.
|