Messenger Next

What changed, without the noise.

Release notes for Messenger Next. Insider builds are for people who want to test upcoming changes; stable releases remain the default update channel.

Download for Windows Browse release files

A focused view of the next Messenger Next release, from the work already defined through Insider testing to the stable update it becomes.

v1.9.0 Planned for A stronger desktop foundation for updates, notifications, and focused everyday messaging. PlanReady InsiderIn progress StableComing soon

Follow the complete roadmap and its progress in Discussion #27.

The next stable release brings safer updates, native notification controls, and more polished desktop workflows while preserving the private, ad-free, distraction-free Messenger experience.

Already in progress

  • Insider updates, stable-channel recovery, and rollback foundations.
  • Multi-window support and a native downloads workflow.
  • Desktop notifications, badges, privacy controls, and mute-aware delivery.

Planned workflows

  • Multiple profiles and a focused set of conversation shortcuts.
  • Smaller installers, cleaner window lifecycle handling, and IME reliability.

Distribution

  • WinGet and Microsoft Store distribution are coming soon, alongside future Linux package repository integrations.
  • Automated package metadata updates for stable releases.

Insider builds

Testing the release path before stable.

v1.9.0-3

Insider

Changed

  • Updated the desktop runtime with the latest upstream reliability, platform integration, and compatibility improvements.
  • Improved native navigation, focused-window menus, and multi-window tray behavior across supported desktop platforms.
  • Improved authenticated downloads and reduced false download detection for regular web links.

Fixed

  • Prevented hidden startup windows from appearing before Messenger is ready while keeping recovery behavior for slow or failed loads.
  • Fixed Windows development and packaging failures caused by conflicting image-processing runtimes and incorrectly assigned Cargo features.
  • Improved window restoration, visibility, and taskbar icon recovery in affected Windows workflows.

Security

  • Updated image processing, temporary-file, networking, and file-detection dependencies to patched releases.
  • Restricted the macOS certificate exception to the configured application host.

v1.9.0-2

Insider

Fixed

  • Restored the native media viewer layout for photos, videos, and other attachments in both direct and group conversations.
  • Kept media controls within the window below its title bar, without shifting the viewer content.
  • Kept the emoji picker and other compact Messenger popovers anchored to the conversation instead of inheriting the media-viewer offset.

v1.9.0-1

Insider

Added

  • Configurable native message alerts, including a first-run choice between alerts, badge only, or not now.
  • Unread count or dot badges for the application and tray icons, plus controls for message-preview privacy and Messenger mute handling.
  • Refined Settings and downloads workflows for quicker control of notifications, window behavior, and recent files.

Changed

  • Notification delivery now uses native desktop integration rather than browser-style popups and stays off until you choose a mode.
  • The release pipeline now produces native Windows, macOS, and Linux artifacts: MSI, universal DMG, DEB, RPM, Arch, and AppImage.

Fixed

Improved unread-message detection so unrelated Facebook notification surfaces do not affect Messenger badges or desktop alerts.

v1.8.2-1

Insider

Added

  • Preview update channel controls for testing prerelease builds.
  • A recovery flow to roll back from an unsuitable update.
  • Release distribution improvements across supported desktop platforms.

Changed

Update checks now use fewer GitHub API requests and keep stable releases as the normal installation path.

v1.8.1

Insider

Fixed

Fixed a Windows Enterprise edge case where preferences in the F3 panel could fail to save after an autostart removal error.

Looking forward to v1.9.0? Star the repository to follow the project. In the meantime, download the latest stable release. With update notifications enabled, Messenger Next will let you know when the next update is ready; press F2 to check manually at any time.