Facebook Messenger might be returning to desktops soon

It’s been almost two years since Facebook discontinued the Windows version of its Messenger app, which has led many people to believe that the company intends to keep the instant messaging service exclusive to mobile and Web users, but don’t give up hope just yet. TechCrunch reported on Saturday that Facebook is currently developing an OS X version of the app, and though the company hasn’t confirmed the validity of the rumor, it seems pretty legit. The report didn’t say anything about a Windows 10 version, but it stands to reason that if Facebook is bringing Messenger to OS X, then it’ll be bringing it to Windows 10 as well, it’s just a matter of when. In the meantime, there are some excellent third-party apps that you can use to bring Messenger to the desktop.

Facebook is building an as-yet-unreleased Facebook Messenger app for Mac desktop that would help Apple users to instantly access it straight from the dock, a media report said. Instead of getting buried in one of many Web browser tabs that users have to switch to so they can text friends, the dedicated Messenger desktop app would be instantly accessible from the dock present on desktop, TechCrunch reported on Saturday. The news portal said it has obtained photographic evidence and an eyewitness report that Facebook employees are working on Facebook Messenger for Mac. According to the eyewitness account and the photo, the app used by the employee included the Messenger logo as the icon in the app dock, and was named Messenger in the menu bar. In the photo, it can be seen that the employee was working on app that includes a navigation tab bar in the bottom left. It matches the tab bar options in official Messenger for iOS mobile app, including “Recent, Groups, People, and Settings” menu. The report said unofficial apps for desktop, of which several are available, lack this tab bar that’s also seen in the official Messenger for iOS app. TechCrunch added that sources said the employee was logged into Facebook’s “internal portals and VPN”, further confirming the screenshots were from an official Messenger for Mac app that’s not yet available to the public.