Can you deactivate Facebook and keep using Messenger? (2026)
Yes. Messenger Help says you can keep using Messenger after you deactivate your Facebook account. If you'd rather keep Facebook for family and groups and lose only the feed, minulo hides Reels and the home feed on iPhone for free.
Messenger Help also says that using Messenger won't reactivate your Facebook account and that your Facebook friends can still message you. You sign in to the Messenger app or Messenger.com with the same email and password you used for Facebook.
- Install minulo, tap Add a service and choose Facebook.
- Tap the gear next to Facebook and turn on Reels and Watch and Home feed.
- Notifications, Messages and Friends open straight from the minulo home screen.
- In the Block tab, choose the official Facebook app, free for up to 2 hours per block. Leave the Messenger app off the list if your family chats there.
Written by Ayumu Kitabayashi, the developer of minulo. What happens to Messenger comes from Messenger Help, checked on 2026-11-02. Menu names can change with updates.
Using Messenger after you deactivate Facebook
Messenger Help's page on using Messenger with a deactivated Facebook account says you can keep using Messenger after you deactivate. To do it, install the Messenger app or go to Messenger.com, then sign in with the same email and password you used for Facebook. Using Messenger won't reactivate your Facebook account, and your Facebook friends can still message you.
We only checked deactivation. Permanently deleting a Facebook account is a different step, so read Facebook Help on deleting before you choose it.
Keep Facebook, lose the feed
Deactivating also takes away the parts some people still want, such as family photos, groups or event pages. If the problem is mainly Reels and the endless home feed, there is a middle option. minulo opens Facebook's own website inside the app and hides the items you turn on: Reels and Watch, Home feed, Marketplace and the "Open app" banner. Notifications, Messages and Friends open straight from the minulo home screen, and everything you haven't hidden works like the Facebook website. Hiding is free with no time limit.
You can lock the official Facebook app in minulo's Block tab, free for up to 2 hours per block. Apps you don't choose stay open, so the Messenger app keeps working.
Which one to choose
Deactivate Facebook if you only need Messenger and want everything else gone. Keep Facebook with minulo if you still use groups or want to see what family and friends post, without Reels pulling you in. You can also try minulo first and deactivate later.
Limits, so you can decide honestly: hidden parts are hidden only inside minulo, and the official apps don't change. While minulo blocks an official app, that app's notifications don't arrive, and minulo sends none of its own. Posting Stories, voice messages and calls aren't available. minulo is for iPhone, with a Mac version that works in Safari and Chrome, and there is no Android version yet. It is new, with few ratings. See what minulo can't do.
Does using Messenger reactivate my Facebook account?
No. Messenger Help says using Messenger won't reactivate your Facebook account.
Can my Facebook friends still message me?
Yes. Messenger Help says your Facebook friends can still message you after you deactivate.
Do I need a new account for Messenger?
No. Sign in to the Messenger app or Messenger.com with the same email and password you used for Facebook.
What if I delete Facebook instead?
Deleting is different from deactivating, and we only checked deactivation here. Read Facebook Help on deleting your account before you choose it.
Can I turn off Reels on Facebook without deactivating?
Facebook has no switch to turn off Reels. minulo hides Reels and Watch and the home feed on iPhone for free.
Does minulo change the Messenger app?
No. minulo opens Facebook's website inside the app, where Messages is available. The Messenger app keeps working as long as you don't block it.
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