Messenger Desktop Made for every desktop.
Messenger Next for distraction-free, focused messaging.
An unofficial, lightweight desktop wrapper for Facebook Messenger. No feed, no reels, no marketplace. Just your conversations in a dedicated window.
messenger-next
Nothing between you and the conversation.
Messenger Next keeps the people you came to reach in view while the surrounding Facebook noise stays out of the way.
More conversation. Less noise.
Messages move through. Feed, Reels, Marketplace, and the rest of the surrounding clutter stop at the door.
Messenger Next
Conversations continue
Open Messenger. Reach your people. Leave the rest outside.
The goal is deliberately narrow: provide a fast, current desktop home for the Messenger conversations that matter, without turning the wrapper into another feature-heavy social client.
Start with your chats instead of a timeline engineered to keep you scrolling. The window opens where the conversation is.
Short-form video never competes with the person you came to reach. Your attention stays on friends, family, and colleagues.
Buying, selling, recommendations, and unrelated Facebook surfaces stay outside this dedicated messaging space.
Messenger Next adds no advertising, promoted placement, or paid interruption around the Messenger interface.
The desktop wrapper adds no developer-controlled analytics for messages, credentials, or app usage.
Recommendations and unrelated social surfaces do not become another reason to stay in the app after the conversation ends.
Choose your desktop.
Direct stable installers for each platform. Preview and alternative packages remain available from GitHub Releases.
Windows
64-bit MSI
Download MSI
macOS
Universal DMG
Download DMG
Linux
DEB, RPM, Arch, AppImage
Choose a package
Windows and Linux installers are available now. Homebrew, WinGet, and Microsoft Store support are coming soon.
Everything else, documented.
Public GitHub hosts release artifacts, documentation, Discussions, and Issues. The Messenger Next application itself remains closed source.
Messenger Desktop for Windows, macOS and Linux
A focused place for your conversations.
Messenger Next opens Facebook Messenger in a
dedicated native window, without Feed, Reels, Marketplace, or
wrapper-added distractions.
01
Uses the system WebView instead of carrying a full browser engine.
02
Stays small, responsive, and separate from the rest of Facebook.
03
Provides signed update artifacts for supported desktop platforms.
Get started
Download and install
Choose your platform. Stable downloads are direct; preview and portable builds remain on GitHub Releases.
Windows
64-bit MSI
Use the standard Windows installer. It supports reliable installation, updates, and removal.
Download MSImacOS
Universal DMG
One download works on both Apple silicon and Intel Macs.
Download DMGLinux
Native packages
Install a DEB, RPM, Arch package, or portable AppImage through one verified script.
Install on LinuxWindows
- Download and open the MSI installer.
- Follow the Windows installer steps.
- Use F2 in the app to check for updates.
The package uses Microsoft WebView2 from Windows rather than embedding another browser. WinGet and Microsoft Store distribution are planned but are not available yet; use the MSI download above in the meantime.
macOS
- Open the downloaded DMG.
-
Drag
messenger-next.apptoApplications. - Open it from Finder or Spotlight.
The app is not notarized by Apple yet. Use Finder's Open command after reviewing the release when macOS asks for confirmation.
Coming soon: a custom Homebrew Cask for macOS. Until it is published, install the universal DMG from the release page.
Linux
Use the native package when possible
Distribution
Package
Supported releases
UbuntuDEB24.04 and newer
DebianDEB13 and newer
Fedora / openSUSERPMCurrent supported releases
Arch LinuxPKG.TAR.ZSTRolling
Other modern distributionsAppImageCurrent releases
Verified installer script
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 --fail --location
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rozsazoltan/messenger/master/scripts/install-linux.sh
| sh
Read the
installer script
before running it. Force the portable route by appending
-s -- appimage.
Release channel
Updates without noise
Stable releases are the default. The updater checks the signed release metadata and lets you choose when to install.
Stable
The recommended channel for everyday use. Open the update panel with F2 to check for the latest stable version.
Preview builds
Enable this option only when you are comfortable testing changes and sharing useful feedback in Discussions or Issues.
A release can be checked manually from the app, so updates never interrupt an active conversation unexpectedly.
Everyday controls
Keyboard controls
Use the built-in panels for common desktop actions without opening a browser menu.
F1
Open About
F2
Check updates
F3
Open settings
Ctrl+J
Open downloads
F5
Reload Messenger
Ctrl+R
Reload Messenger
Preferences
Settings
Open Settings with F3 to adapt the window to how you work.
- Always on Top
- System tray support and start-to-tray
- Start on system startup
- Hide on close
- Experimental multiple instances
- Native alerts, badge-only notifications, and preview privacy controls
Messages
Choose how messages reach you
Messenger Next asks once, before it enables any message alerting. Open Settings with F3 at any time to change the choice.
Badge only
Keep incoming messages quiet. An unread count or dot appears on the app and tray icons without a desktop notification.
Native alerts
Receive your operating system's notification banner for new messages. Notification details can be hidden when the screen should stay private.
Messenger mute settings are respected by default. You can keep muted chats out of both badges and alerts, include them in the badge only, or explicitly override the mute rule for this PC.
Files
Downloads
Ctrl + J opens the recent downloads list. Select a file to open it; hold Ctrl while selecting to reveal it in the file manager.
The list is a convenience record, not a second file store. Missing and expired entries are cleaned up automatically.
Your account
Privacy and security
Messenger Next is a native window around the
official Messenger interface. It does not collect, analyze,
sell, or store messages, credentials, or usage data.
Where conversations go
Messages and account data stay between your computer and Meta's services under Meta's terms and privacy policy.
What this app changes
It removes unrelated Facebook chrome around the Messenger experience. It does not replace, bypass, or impersonate Meta services.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
Is Messenger Next really free?
Completely. There is no purchase price, subscription, advertising, or paid tier. It was built by one developer who missed a focused, Messenger-only desktop experience.
Developer's promise: the core Messenger Next desktop app will remain free to download and use. Access to conversations will not be placed behind a subscription, and advertising will not be added to the app.
Do I need a new account?
No. Messenger Next works with the Facebook account you already use in Messenger on your phone and on the web.
Is this an official Facebook or Meta application?
No. Messenger Next is
independent and has no affiliation with Meta.
It loads Meta's own Messenger interface from
facebook.com/messages, and sign-in happens on
that service instead of through a developer-controlled login
form.
Is it safe to use?
Messenger Next adds no telemetry of its own and does not collect messages, credentials, or usage analytics. Sign-in happens through Meta's Messenger interface, not through a developer-controlled login form.
Messenger remains a Meta service governed by Meta's terms and privacy policy. Read the privacy and trust guide for the complete boundary.
Under the hood
Are you a developer?
Messenger Next is built with Tauri 2 and Rust, uses the operating system's WebView, and layers a typed desktop integration over the Messenger web interface.
Explore the architecture, updater model, performance choices, and public contribution surfaces in the developer guide.
Need a hand?
Support and feedback
Useful feedback makes the focused experience better for everyone.