Messenger Lite for Android: shut down in 2023
338.0.0.3.102 · Facebook Inc · Page updated
Messenger Lite was Meta's lightweight Messenger app for Android. It stopped working on 18 September 2023; Messenger is its successor.
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About Messenger Lite
Messenger Lite was a lightweight version of Facebook Messenger for Android, and it is no longer available to download: Meta shut the app down on 18 September 2023. The last Android build recorded in catalogue data is 338.0.0.3.102, but installing it today will not let you chat, so this page explains what the app was and where your conversations went.
Overview
Messenger Lite was built for people with inexpensive Android phones, little storage and slow or costly mobile internet. It kept the core of Messenger, text chats, photos, stickers and basic calls, and left out the heavier parts of the full app, such as stories, games and many visual effects. The package was small, it started quickly on weak hardware and it used less data, which made it popular in countries where entry-level phones and prepaid data plans are the norm. Over time Meta moved its attention to the main Messenger app and to Facebook Lite, which also includes messaging. In the weeks before the shutdown, users who opened Messenger Lite saw a notice asking them to switch to Messenger or Facebook Lite to keep chatting, and on 18 September 2023 the app stopped working for everyone. Accounts and conversations were not deleted: they belong to your Facebook account, not to the app, so they appear in the successor apps.
Key facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Status | Discontinued on 18 September 2023 |
| Developer | Facebook Inc (now Meta) |
| Platform | Android |
| Successor | Facebook Messenger; Facebook Lite for low-end phones |
| Last build in catalogue data | 338.0.0.3.102 |
How to move to Messenger
- Uninstall Messenger Lite if it is still on your phone.
- Install Messenger from Google Play.
- Sign in with your Facebook account or phone number.
- Your earlier chats and contacts load automatically, as they are stored with your account.
If your phone struggles with the full Messenger app, Facebook Lite is the other option Meta suggested: it combines the social network and messaging in one small app.
Safety: avoid old APK files
Messenger Lite installers still circulate on APK sites. They are useless, since the service no longer accepts the app, and some copies are repackaged with malware or ads. Do not enter your Facebook password into any app that claims to be a working Messenger Lite.
Requirements and price of the successors
Messenger and Facebook Lite are free. Google Play shows whether your device is compatible; on very old Android versions, messaging in a mobile browser may be the only choice left.
Pros and cons of switching
- Pro: same account and chat history.
- Pro: security updates and new features in the main app.
- Con: Messenger is heavier and uses more data.
- Con: Facebook Lite mixes chats with the social feed.
Alternatives
Other messaging apps on our site include Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp Messenger, Telegram, IMO Lite and Line. IMO Lite is also designed for low-end phones.