Meta is phasing out the external Facebook Like button.

Meta is Killing Off the External Facebook Like Button

Next year, Meta will bid farewell to its external social plugins, particularly the Facebook Like and Share buttons for third-party websites. These features will officially cease operations on February 10, 2026. In a recent blog post, Meta clarified that website administrators won’t need to undertake any specific actions due to this change, though they have the option to remove the plugins prior to the discontinuation date. Any lingering plugins will simply turn into an invisible element—essentially a 0x0 pixel.

The elimination of these features signals the end of an era for Meta and Facebook. The external Like and Share buttons were introduced back in 2013, aimed at helping websites boost traffic through social media, a crucial means of sharing content at the time. Meta states that the plugins “reflect an earlier era of web development,” acknowledging their decline as the digital landscape has evolved.

Over the years, Facebook’s importance within the broader Meta ecosystem has diminished, with many sites now favoring multi-network integration. As a result, these once-essential tools are now considered outdated, signaling a shift in how content is shared across the web.

As we approach the final days of the Like and Share buttons, the question remains: How will this impact your online engagement? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!