No, not as a new user. Messenger now needs a Facebook account to sign up. The workaround Meta itself offers is to create a Facebook account, then deactivate it and keep Messenger switched on, so your profile disappears from Facebook while your chats keep working.
Meta calls that setup a Deactivated Except Messenger Account, or DEMA. Your Facebook profile is hidden, nobody can see your posts or friends list, and you still message, call and video chat in Messenger as normal. If you've had a Messenger-only account for years, Meta's help pages say you'll need to move it over to this setup too.
The catch: deleting Facebook deletes Messenger with it. Only deactivating lets you keep chatting. People who delete Facebook to escape it are often surprised when Messenger stops working the same day, so pick deactivate, not delete, if you want to keep your chats.
What changed, and when
For a while you didn't need Facebook at all. In June 2015 Meta (then still called Facebook) added a "Not on Facebook?" option to the Messenger welcome screen. You typed in your name and phone number, added a photo and started chatting.
In December 2019 that option quietly went. A Facebook spokesperson confirmed to the tech press that new users would now need a Facebook account, and said most people already signed in through Facebook anyway. People who already had a Messenger-only account weren't kicked off at the time, but Meta's help centre now asks them to update to a deactivated Facebook account so they can carry on.
Your situation, at a glance
| Your situation | Can you use Messenger? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Never had Facebook | Not directly | You'll need to create a Facebook account first, then you can deactivate it |
| Old Messenger-only account | Yes, after an update | Meta asks you to switch to a deactivated Facebook account |
| Facebook deactivated, Messenger kept on | Yes | Chats, calls and video calls all work |
| Facebook deactivated, opted out of Messenger | No | Log back into Facebook to reactivate, then try again |
| Facebook deleted | No | Deleting removes Messenger and your access to your chats |
How to keep Messenger while deactivating Facebook
Before you start, make sure you're logged into Messenger on your phone. Meta's help says Messenger stays active if you choose to keep it or if you're logged into it when you deactivate. Then:
- Open the Facebook app and tap Menu, then the gear icon for Settings.
- Tap Accounts Center, then Personal details.
- Tap Account ownership and control, then Deactivation or deletion.
- Pick your Facebook profile and choose Deactivate account, not Delete.
- Enter your password and work through the reason screens.
- When Facebook asks about Messenger, leave the option to keep using Messenger switched on. Opting out here is what turns Messenger off.
- Confirm, then open Messenger and send a test message to check it still works.
If a menu name looks different on your phone, search the settings for "deactivat" and it'll come up. Meta moves these screens around often.
What people can still see
Deactivating isn't invisible. Your profile picture still shows inside your Messenger chats, and people can still search for you in Messenger to send you a message. Messages you've already sent stay in other people's inboxes. What disappears is your Facebook profile, timeline and posts.
Coming back later
You can reactivate any time by logging back into Facebook, as long as you can still get into the email address or phone number on the account. Messenger and your chat history carry on as before.
Day to day with a deactivated account
Once it's set up, most people notice very little difference inside Messenger. You can still:
- send messages, photos, voice notes and stickers to anyone you chatted with before;
- start new chats with people who search for you or who you search for in Messenger;
- make voice and video calls, one to one or in groups (my guide on how to video call on Messenger has the steps);
- stay in group chats, including ones made for a club, school or family.
What you lose is everything on the Facebook side: your timeline, posts, Pages you run, items you were selling and Facebook groups. If you manage a business Page, check who else has admin access before you deactivate, so the Page isn't left without anyone who can post to it.
Want nothing to do with Facebook? Pick a different app
If the whole point is to avoid having a Facebook account in any form, Messenger isn't the right app for you any more. These are the plain swaps:
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- WhatsApp: also owned by Meta, but it signs you up with a phone number. No Facebook account needed, and chats are end-to-end encrypted by default.
- Instagram direct messages: an Instagram account works without Facebook, and you can message, voice call and video call from the DM inbox.
- Signal: run by a non-profit, signs you up with a phone number and is known for its privacy focus.
- Telegram: signs you up with a phone number and lets people find you by a username instead of your number if you set one.
The catch with any switch is the people on the other end. If your family group chat lives in Messenger, you'll either need to bring them with you or keep a deactivated Facebook account so you stay in the loop.
Leaving Messenger too
If you want Messenger gone as well, Meta's help says you deactivate Facebook first and then deactivate Messenger, and that the Messenger step only works on a phone, not a computer. To delete the app itself afterwards, my guide on how to uninstall Messenger covers iPhone, Android and computers. If you're tidying up because you've been logged in on other people's devices, sort that first with my guide to logging out of Facebook on all devices.
What I'd do
If you just don't want a Facebook profile, I'd deactivate it and keep Messenger, because it's the only route that keeps every chat and lets you change your mind later. If you never want a Facebook account at all, I'd move my main chats to WhatsApp or Signal and stop fighting Messenger's rules.
Related guides live in the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still create a Messenger account with just my phone number?
No. Meta removed the phone-number-only sign-up for new users in December 2019. You'll need a Facebook account, which you can deactivate afterwards while keeping Messenger.
If I deactivate Facebook, can people still message me?
Yes, as long as you kept Messenger on during deactivation. People can still search for you in Messenger and send you messages, and your profile picture still shows in chats.
Can I video call on Messenger with a deactivated Facebook account?
Yes. Voice and video calls work the same way they did before you deactivated, on your phone and in a browser.
Will using Messenger reactivate my Facebook account?
No. Chatting in Messenger keeps your Facebook profile deactivated. Only logging back into Facebook itself reactivates it.
What happens to Messenger if I delete Facebook?
It stops working. Deleting your Facebook profile removes your access to Messenger and your chat history, so download a copy of your information first if you want to keep it.
