new messenger opens links in EDGE instead of default browser.

There is simply no technical reason or even excuse why external links have to be open in Edge. Messenger for Windows is the only app that I'm aware of that does this.

I use Firefox, and have used all its predecessors, going back to Netscape Navigator 2.0. I have also been a developer on some of its components for about a decade. I will not use a Chromium based browser, such as Chrome or Edge, unless the site absolutely won't work, but I will seek to use another site instead first.

The web version of FB messenger does not work correctly in Firefox. In particular, audio and video calls don't work in it. So, it's not a good solution. I believe abandoning FB Messenger altogether is the answer.

The good news is that just about everyone has a phone number, and there are plenty of other messaging apps that are not FB messenger. Even Meta's own Whatsapp client for Windows does not have this problem. Neither do Telegram or Signal messenger.

The problem that my mom would have with switching apps is that she talks to a fair number of people via Messenger, all of whom are old farts who barely understand how their current messaging works; they're not going to change to another unfamiliar app just because my mom wants them to. If it were feasible, I'd just get my mom set up on Discord, which I have open all day every day anyway, but that would leave her with just me to talk to. I suppose we'll just have to install Messenger as a web app and get used to it.

@klm0sabl they open in edge because new messenger IS edge, as you noticed. Just like if you're in Chrome and click a link you get chrome, same thing. Clearly Facebook didn't see the point in a native app when the web will do, so they wrapped it in edge. Why edge? Because everybody should have edge, unless you did something odd. But you can get it in Chrome if you scroll up.

Everyone does have Edge, but unless one installs extensions (which, does Edge even have those?), it's a slow browser that shoves at least five tracking cookies onto my system when I open it, and has no adblocking ability. The point I and others are making is that it SHOULDN'T be like this, the standalone app was just fine, and they've provided a garbage "solution" just to save a few bucks. And my mom and I both like having an obvious app window to tab to, rather than it appearing as another browser window (my mom has four windows open, usually).

Can we please stop making comments that are just complaints against Meta and Microsoft? Let's keep the discussion practical, centered around the solutions/workarounds.

I will repeat my current workaround: For me, the older version of the non-browser app is working great (downloadable from https://messenger.en.uptodown.com/windows/download/1026550438). Every time I reboot the PC and the app is loaded as part of that process, it suggests upgrading, but I simply click "Not Now" and the popup goes away. (I know that others have described how to make it a Chrome-based browser app, but I use Firefox, which Messenger doesn't yet support for video/audio calling.)

I tried an older version of the app and it didn't show the popup with the option for "not now," leaving me only able to upgrade or close the app.

There is simply no technical reason or even excuse why external links have to be open in Edge. Messenger for Windows is the only app that I'm aware of that does this.

I use Firefox, and have used all its predecessors, going back to Netscape Navigator 2.0. I have also been a developer on some of its components for about a decade. I will not use a Chromium based browser, such as Chrome or Edge, unless the site absolutely won't work, but I will seek to use another site instead first.

The web version of FB messenger does not work correctly in Firefox. In particular, audio and video calls don't work in it. So, it's not a good solution. I believe abandoning FB Messenger altogether is the answer.

The good news is that just about everyone has a phone number, and there are plenty of other messaging apps that are not FB messenger. Even Meta's own Whatsapp client for Windows does not have this problem. Neither do Telegram or Signal messenger.

@klm0sabl they open in edge because new messenger IS edge, as you noticed. Just like if you're in Chrome and click a link you get chrome, same thing. Clearly Facebook didn't see the point in a native app when the web will do, so they wrapped it in edge. Why edge? Because everybody should have edge, unless you did something odd. But you can get it in Chrome if you scroll up.