Facebook discontinues useful Messenger text feature – affected users must switch before September

MESSENGER fans will need to check their account as Facebook is removing a long-running feature for good.

The Meta-owned app has had the option available to billions of Android users since 2016.

But it's being withdrawn forever by the end of September.

The feature allowed people to send SMS text messages through the Messenger app instead of using their phone's own text app.

Some users preferred this because it kept conversations in one tidy place.

Meta - previously known as Facebook - hasn't given a reason why it's decided to pull the plug.

The final nail in the coffin will come when you update the app after September 28.

Meta warns: "As early as September 28, 2023, SMS messages will no longer be available when you update your Messenger app."

Not everyone is impressed with the move.

"I just got a notification on my Messenger app that SMS will no longer be available through the Messenger app after 28th of September," one user wrote on Reddit.

"Not sure why no reason is listed, I use Messenger for my Messenging needs which included both SMS and FB Messenger, I really don't want to need 2 apps for messaging..."

To continue receiving your text messages from another app you'll need to switch to an alternative.

You can do this by going to Settings, followed by Apps.

Select Default apps, then SMS app and choose the app you wish to use.

The change comes after Meta already decided to close down its Apple Watch app for Facebook Messenger back in May.

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