The Messenger app doesn't have a plain log out button. To log out of Messenger, open Menu, then Settings, then Accounts Center, go to Password and security, tap Where you're logged in, pick your account, choose the device and tap Log out. On Android you can also remove the account from the app's account switcher, as long as another account stays signed in.
Meta's own Messenger help pages say it plainly: you can't log out of an account from inside Messenger the way you would in most apps. Everything runs through Accounts Center, the settings hub Messenger shares with Facebook and Instagram. Once you know that, the job takes under a minute on any device.
The catch most people miss: logging out of the Facebook app doesn't log you out of the Messenger app. On a phone they're two apps with two separate sessions. You can sign out of Facebook, hand your phone to someone, and your chats are still wide open in Messenger. You end the Messenger session on its own, in Accounts Center.
Log out of Messenger on iPhone
- Open Messenger and tap the menu icon (three lines) at the top left.
- Tap the gear icon to open Settings.
- Scroll down and tap Accounts Center.
- Tap Password and security, then Where you're logged in.
- Pick your account. You'll see a list of devices and apps, each with a location and the last time it was active.
- Tap the iPhone entry that says Messenger, then tap Log out and confirm.
The iPhone app has no Remove account option, so Accounts Center is the only route. If the device you're holding doesn't appear in the list, use the browser method further down; Meta says the list in the app doesn't always show everything.
Log out of Messenger on Android
Android gives you two routes. The first is the same Accounts Center path as iPhone:
- Open Messenger, tap the menu icon, then the gear icon.
- Tap Accounts Center, then Password and security, then Where you're logged in.
- Select your account, tap the Android device running Messenger, and tap Log out.
The second route only works if you've got more than one account added to Messenger. Tap the menu, tap your name or the arrow next to it to open the account switcher, and choose to remove the account you don't want. Messenger won't let you remove the last one, because one account always has to stay signed in.
Some guides suggest clearing Messenger's storage in Android Settings to force a sign out. It works, but it also wipes the app's local data, so I'd only use it if the steps above fail.
Log out of Messenger on a computer
Meta closed the standalone Messenger desktop apps for Windows and Mac on 15 December 2025, so most people on a computer now use Messenger inside Facebook in a web browser, or Messenger's own website. On Windows, chats also live inside the Facebook desktop app.
- In your browser, click your profile picture at the top right of Facebook.
- Click Log out. This ends both Facebook and Messenger in that browser, because on the web they share one sign-in.
- If you used Messenger's own website, look for Log out in the menu under your profile picture. If you can't see it, use Accounts Center from the steps above.
If the old desktop app is still on your computer, it can't send or receive anything now. Log out from Accounts Center to kill its old session, then delete the app. My guide on how to uninstall Messenger walks you through removing it from each device.
Where the log out option lives on each device
| Device | Where you log out | Remove account option? |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone app | Menu, Settings, Accounts Center, Password and security, Where you're logged in | No |
| Android app | Same Accounts Center path, or the account switcher | Yes, if another account stays |
| Browser (Facebook) | Profile picture, Log out | Not needed |
| Old desktop app | Accounts Center from any device, then delete the app | No |
| Someone else's phone | Accounts Center on your own phone or a browser | Not needed |
Menus change from one app update to the next. If a name above looks different on your screen, open Settings and search for the word "logged in" and it'll take you there.
Log out of every device at once
If you've lost a phone, sold a laptop or think someone else has been reading your chats, end every session in one go:
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- Open Accounts Center from Messenger, Facebook or a browser.
- Go to Password and security, then Where you're logged in.
- Choose your account, then tap Select devices to log out.
- Tick Select all and confirm. Every session except the one you're using ends straight away.
- Back in Password and security, change your password and turn on two-factor authentication.
Meta's help also notes that logging a device out removes it from your end-to-end encrypted chats. That's a good thing for privacy, but it means a device you sign back into later may ask you to restore your chat history with your PIN. If that screen surprises you, here's why Messenger asks for a PIN. For the Facebook side, my guide to logging out of Facebook on all devices covers the same screen from the Facebook app.
Only want Messenger to go quiet?
Plenty of people search for how to log out when what they want is peace. Logging out stops notifications, but it also means signing back in later, possibly with a PIN. These options are lighter:
- Mute notifications: in Settings, open Notifications and turn on Mute, or mute one chat from its own settings.
- Turn off Active Status: in Settings, find Active Status and switch it off so people don't see when you're online.
- Mute or restrict a person: open their chat, tap their name and pick Mute or Restrict, so their messages stop pinging you.
- Use your phone's own settings: turn off Messenger notifications in iPhone or Android settings if you want silence everywhere.
My advice
If it's your own phone, I'd just mute Messenger rather than log out. If the phone is leaving your hands, being sold or was ever lost, log out of every device in Accounts Center and change your password the same day. It's the one setting I'd never skip.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is there no log out button in Messenger?
Meta moved account controls into Accounts Center, which is shared with Facebook and Instagram. You log out of Messenger from Accounts Center under Password and security, then Where you're logged in.
Does logging out of Facebook log me out of Messenger?
Not on a phone. The Facebook app and the Messenger app keep separate sessions, so you have to end the Messenger session on its own. In a web browser they share one sign-in, so logging out of Facebook there ends both.
Can I log out of Messenger on someone else's phone remotely?
Yes. On your own phone or a browser, open Accounts Center, go to Password and security, then Where you're logged in, find that device and tap Log out.
Will I lose my messages if I log out of Messenger?
No, your chats stay on your account. When you sign back in you may need your PIN to restore end-to-end encrypted chat history, so keep it somewhere safe.
How do I switch Messenger accounts without logging out?
On Android, tap the menu, then your name, to open the account switcher and add or pick another account. The iPhone app doesn't offer account removal, so you'd log out through Accounts Center first.
