Facebook Messenger to no longer work on Windows smartphones

Facebook has announced that, as of the end of this month, Messenger will no longer be supported on devices running Windows Phone 8.1. Additionally, Facebook for iPad v26, Messenger v8 for iOS, Facebook for iOS released in 2011, Facebook for Windows Phone, Messenger for Windows Phone 8 and 8.1, and Facebook for Windows 8 and the 8.1 desktop will not be supported as well.

Users of the platform have been receiving emails in which Facebook expresses its intention to deprecate the Windows Phone 8.1 version of Messenger. It encourages users to upgrade to Microsoft's latest mobile operating system to keep using it.

The company stated in a blog, “We will be ending support for messaging in some older mobile app versions of Messenger and Facebook. We have proactively reached out to those affected and have also offered suggestions right in Messenger. These include updating your app to the latest version, loading an OS update for your device or migrating to Facebook Lite. If your devices do not support the newest versions of Facebook, we recommend going to Facebook.com through your mobile browser.”

Facebook Messenger is not the only app to stop supporting old Windows Phone handsets. Recently, Skype ended support for the devices, following an example set by WhatsApp earlier in the year. Microsoft had also announced that Minecraft, which it owns, will no longer be updated on Windows Phone devices.