| Source | Reliability | Why Use It | |--------|-------------|-------------| | APKMirror | High (Owned by Illogical Robot, verified signatures) | Provides original, signed APKs; filters by Android version | | APKPure | Medium-High | Offers older versions; has a verification badge | | Uptodown | Medium | User-voted safety; requires attention to version dates | | F-Droid | High but limited | Only open-source; Messenger is not there, but alternatives are |
When Facebook releases a new version of Messenger, it builds it using the latest software development kits (SDKs). Over time, support for older Android APIs gets dropped. As of 2023–2024, the official Messenger app from the Play Store requires Android 8.0 (Oreo) or higher. If you attempt to install it on Android 5.1 directly from the store, you will see: "Your device isn't compatible with this version." Messenger Apk Android 5.1
| App Name | Last Working Version | APK Size | Key Features | |----------|----------------------|----------|----------------| | Messenger (Main) | 260.0.0.18.70 (2022) | ~45 MB | Dark mode, stickers, voice clips, basic reactions. | | Messenger Lite | 108.0.0.4.89 (2023) | ~10 MB | Lightweight, text/photos, voice messages, no chat heads. | | Messenger (Old UI) | 190.0.0.12.70 (2020) | ~40 MB | Classic design, no stories, no encrypted chats. | | Source | Reliability | Why Use It
Note: These versions may eventually stop working as Meta sunsets legacy APIs. Many users report “Update required” loops after 2024. Note : These versions may eventually stop working