Facebook Messenger users forced to create account on main site to use chat app

Like WhatsApp, Messenger previously let people sign up using only their mobile number

The Facebook logo is displayed during the F8 Facebook Developers conference on April 30, 2019 in San Jose, California (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Facebook is to start forcing people to sign up for an account even if they only want to use its standalone Messenger app.

For years, the company has allowed people to sign up using only their mobile number, keeping their account separate in the chat app.

It did so in 2015 to allow people to use the popular Messenger app who did not want to be part of the larger Facebook platform.

That mirrors the system in WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook but uses people's phone number to login rather than any connection with the more controversial main site.

But now Facebook will require anyone who signs up to use Messenger to get a Facebook account first.

It comes as the company looks to unify its chat apps, allowing people to speak across the various platforms and sharing infrastructure between Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram.

Writing on Facebook Help Centre, the company now says: "You'll need to create a Facebook account to use Messenger."

According to a spokesman for the firm, those already using Messenger without a Facebook account will not be affected.

"If you're new to Messenger, you'll notice that you need a Facebook account to chat with friends and close connections," he said.

"We found that the vast majority of people who use Messenger already log in through Facebook and we want to simplify the process.

"If you already use Messenger without a Facebook account, no need to do anything."