Update: Removal of the Zendesk Social Messaging App

Announced on	Removal
November 16, 2021 (Original announcement)	April 15, 2023: Social Messaging App removed from Zendesk Marketplace October 31, 2023: Social Messaging App no longer supported for users (except Sunshine Conversations integration users)

Zendesk removed the legacy Social Messaging App from the Marketplace in April, 2023. However, based on insights from our customers, we are maintaining functionality for already-installed apps until October 31, 2023.

If you are using the legacy Social Messaging App, you will need to migrate to Zendesk Agent Workspace and use the improved social messaging experience before October 31, 2023, as outlined in this announcement.

We will announce a later removal date for customers using Sunshine Conversations to integrate social channels into their Zendesk configuration after this phase has been completed.

This announcement includes the following sections:

• Am I affected?
• Why is Zendesk removing this?
• What does this mean?
• What happens if I don't migrate before the removal date?
• Frequently asked questions
• Who should I contact if I need help or have questions?

Am I affected?

If you have installed the Social Messaging App from the marketplace, you will be impacted on October 31, 2023, when this feature is deprecated.

Why is Zendesk removing this?

Connecting with customers using the social channels they prefer is more important than ever. That’s why we’ve included social messaging access in our new Agent Workspace to provide a better, more integrated experience when using channels like WhatsApp, WeChat, LINE, Facebook Messenger, and Twitter DM. With social messaging in the Agent Workspace, you'll have access to new channels like Instagram DM and have the ability to configure your own bot and deploy it across multiple channels at once. Agent Workspace allows agents to manage all of their conversations from a simple, unified interface, making it easier to provide faster and more personalized support to your customers.

What does this mean?

If you are not on Agent Workspace:

Zendesk has built an improved social messaging experience in the Zendesk Agent Workspace, which unifies all of your channels in one conversational interface. As a result, we removed the legacy Zendesk Social Messaging App from the Marketplace on April 15, 2023, and on October 31, 2023, will remove the ability to support this feature within your Zendesk instance.

We encourage you to get a head start by migrating to Agent Workspace and setting up social messaging well before this change goes into effect to prevent disruption to your workflow. This will also allow you to continue using your favorite messaging channels and give you plenty of time to try out this new experience.

To migrate to social messaging in the Agent Workspace:

1. Migrate to the Agent Workspace. The workspace provides a single interface for agents to manage incoming support requests from every channel enabled on your account.
   • See Migrating to the Zendesk Agent Workspace for an overview of how the migration affects your account, as well as step-by-step instructions for making the move.
   • See About the Zendesk Agent Workspace for agent-focused information on navigating and working in their new interface.
2. Migrate your social messaging channels. After you’ve migrated to the Agent Workspace, you can move your social channels over.
   • See Migrating social messaging channels to the Zendesk Agent Workspace for a walkthrough of this migration process.
   • See About messaging channels in the Zendesk Agent Workspace for an agent-focused, messaging-specific overview of the new interface.
3. Uninstall the Social Messaging App.
   1. On the My Apps page, find the Social Messaging App.
   2. Click the Options menu on the app, then select Uninstall.
   3. In the Uninstall App window, click Uninstall App.

If you are on Agent Workspace:

You have completed the initial step of moving to agent workspace, but are still using the Social Messaging App, you will need to set up the required channels within messaging and remove the app. We suggest migrating to messaging well before this change goes into effect to prevent disruption to your workflow. This will also allow you to continue using your favourite messaging channels and give you plenty of time to try out this new experience.

To continue the migration process:

1. Migrate your social messaging channels. After you’ve migrated to the Agent Workspace, you can move your social channels over.
   • See Migrating social messaging channels to the Zendesk Agent Workspace for a walkthrough of this migration process.
   • See About messaging channels in the Zendesk Agent Workspace for an agent-focused, messaging-specific overview of the new interface.
2. Uninstall the Social Messaging App.
   1. On the My Apps page, find the Social Messaging App.
   2. Click the Options menu on the app, then select Uninstall.
   3. In the Uninstall App window, click Uninstall App.

What happens if I don't migrate before the removal date?

If you are currently using the legacy Social Messaging App and do not migrate before the app removal you will lose the connection between Zendesk and your social messaging channels. This means comments and messages left for your business in these channels will no longer be converted to tickets, and you will no longer receive any notifications through the social messaging notifier.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if I have the app installed?

Head over to your Zendesk Support apps in Admin Centre, and check for an app called "Social Messaging", this may be called something different if you have re-named it on your instance. Open the app and if you have the Social Messaging app, the top information section will look like the below:

What should I do if I'm not using the legacy Social Messaging App and I don't want to migrate?

If you are currently a Suite or Support + Chat customer and not using the legacy Social Messaging App, you do not have to migrate. However, once we remove the app you will lose social messaging functionalities, and if you choose to use social messaging later on you, will need to migrate to Zendesk Agent Workspace.

What new features does Zendesk Agent Workspace have that the legacy Social Messaging app doesn't?

The workspace delivers a unified conversation experience, providing your agents with a complete picture of their interactions with customers. For more information, see About messaging channels in the Zendesk Agent Workspace.

Is there feature parity between the legacy Social Messaging app and the social messaging experience on Zendesk Agent Workspace? 

Yes, and we are working on delivering even more new features for the Zendesk Agent Workspace social messaging experience.

Who should I contact if I need help or have questions?

As always, please contact Zendesk Customer Support if you have questions or need additional support.