How to deactivate Messenger without deactivating Facebook? (2023)

If your Facebook account is linked with Messenger, then you cannot deactivate messenger without deactivating Facebook. So, you have to first deactivate Facebook then deactivate Messenger.

If your Facebook account is not linked with Messenger, then you can deactivate messenger without deactivating Facebook.

We will discuss this in detail in this guide.

Can I deactivate Facebook without deactivating Messenger?

You can keep using Messenger after you deactivate your Facebook account. If you had a Facebook account and deactivated it, using Messenger won’t reactivate your Facebook account, and your Facebook friends can still message you.

Can I deactivate Messenger without deactivating Facebook?

We can have a Facebook account with or without a messenger. Also, we can use Messenger with or without Facebook. The important point to be noted here is that you cannot deactivate Facebook Messenger without deactivating Facebook

However, if your Facebook account is not linked with Messenger, then you can deactivate messenger without deactivating Facebook.

How can we deactivate the Facebook messenger without deactivating Facebook ?

Here is how we can deactivate a messenger without deactivating Facebook. (Note: Only applicable if Facebook is not linked with Messenger)

Open the Messenger app 

Click on the profile pic on the left side.

Scroll down to see “Legal & Policies” option. 

Click on the “Deactivate Messenger” option under “Third-party notices”.

Click on the “Deactivate” button there.  

Now the messenger is deactivated. 

Note: if you could not see the “Deactivate Messenger” option under “Third-party notices”. Uninstall or remove the app, then install or download it again, then you could see that option. 

How to deactivate the Facebook messenger linked with Facebook account?

There are 2 steps involved in deactivating Facebook Messenger linked with Facebook account.

1. Deactivate Facebook
2. Deactivate Messenger

Deactivate Facebook

Follow the below steps to deactivate the Facebook account.

Open the Messenger app

Click on the profile picture on the left side.

Scroll down to see the “Account settings” and click on that. 

Scroll down to see the “Your Facebook information”, under that click on the “Account Ownership and Control”.

Click on the “Deactivation and Deletion” from there. 

Click on the “Deactivate account” (sometimes it will be automatically selected) and click on the “Continue to Account Deactivation”.

Then enter your password on the space there and click “Continue”.

Choose a reason for deactivating the account as “This is temporary. I’ll be back” and click “Continue”.

There is an option to automatically reactivate the account, if you want then click on the box below to give the time period to reactivate the account. 

If you don’t want the automatic reactivation, then click on the same box there and select the “Don’t reactivate automatically” option instead of the time duration. 

Click on the “Continue” option again. 

Now you will be opened to the Account Deactivation page, there click on the “Deactivate My Account”.

Now your Facebook account is deactivated temporarily.

Deactivate Messenger

Follow the below steps to deactivate the Messenger app.

Open the Messenger app.

You can see a message like this.

Click on Continue

Click on the profile pic on the left side.

Scroll down to see “Legal & Policies” option. 

Click on the “Deactivate Messenger” option under “Third-party notices”.

Click on the “Deactivate” button there.  

Wrapping Up

Hope you get an idea about deactivating Facebook messenger without deactivating Facebook. Kindly let us know if you have any queries.