Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is set to discontinue a special service that allows messaging between Facebook Messenger and Instagram.
According to app researcher Alessandro Palluzzi, also known as @alex193a, this cross-app messaging feature will be shut down in approximately 45 days, around mid-October.
The Change Ahead
A screenshot shared by Palluzzi shows a message within Instagram, stating, “After mid-October, you won’t be able to chat with Facebook friends on Instagram, so this chat will become read-only.” This suggests that existing Messenger conversations on Instagram will remain accessible but in read-only mode.
It’s currently unclear whether Meta will delete these conversations or leave that choice to the user.
How Cross-App Messaging Works
Meta introduced the Instagram and Messenger cross-app messaging feature in September 2020, aiming to simplify communication between the two platforms.
This allowed users to reply to messages without switching between apps.
For instance, if you received a Messenger message while using Instagram, you could respond without leaving the Instagram app, and vice versa for Facebook.
No Official Announcement Yet
Meta has not officially announced the discontinuation of this feature, leaving users in the dark about the reasons behind this decision.
Other Integrated Features
Apart from messaging, Meta offers various integrated features between Facebook and Instagram, such as the ability to share stories, posts, and reels seamlessly.
Content creators benefit from this integration, as they don’t need to duplicate their posts on both platforms.
Instead, posting on one app automatically shares the content on the other, enhancing visibility and reach.
