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How to Deactivate Facebook Messenger

Well, you can't. But you can hide your status if you are online

By Jerri Ledford Jerri Ledford Writer, Editor, Fact Checker Western Kentucky University Gulf Coast Community College Jerri L. Ledford has been writing, editing, and fact-checking tech stories since 1994. Her work has appeared in Computerworld, PC Magazine, Information Today, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 6, 2022 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Facebook Facebook Pinterest Twitter Snapchat Instagram YouTube Online Dating

What to Know

You cannot completely deactivate Facebook Messenger without deactivating your Facebook account.Hide status: profile pic > Active Status > toggle Show when you're active / Show when you're active together.Delete Facebook Messenger app, usually by tapping and holding the app icon, but exact instructions vary by device. 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 Messenger

If 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. Open the Messenger app and tap your profile picture. Select Active Status. Toggle Off the options for Show when you're active and Show when you're active together. 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 What is Vanish Mode in Facebook Messenger? Messenger's Vanish Mode makes the app work like Snapchat's chat mode. Messages and photos in one-on-one conversations (not group ones) disappear once you've seen them and closed the window. To enable it, open the conversation and swipe up. How do I delete messages in Facebook Messenger? To unsend a message before the recipient sees it, on iPhone: tap and hold in the mobile app > More > Unsend. Online: click the three-dot menu to the left of the message > Remove. On Android: Tap-and-hold > Remove > Unsend. Browser: Three-dot menu > Remove > Unsend for everyone. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use Messenger Without a Facebook Account How to Log Out of Facebook Messenger How to Find Your Facebook Messenger History How to Tell If Someone Blocked You on Facebook Messenger How to Unblock Someone on Messenger How to Recover Deleted Messages on Facebook Messenger How to Fix It When Facebook Messenger Isn’t Sending Messages How to Fix It When Facebook Messenger Won’t Load Messages How to Add Anyone to Facebook Messenger How to Fix It When Facebook Pay Isn't Working How to Turn off Facebook Messenger How to Find Hidden Facebook Messages How to Find Someone on Facebook Using an Email Address How to Hide on Facebook How to PM on Facebook Messenger Rooms: How to Use Facebook's Video Chat Feature Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies