Many people use Facebook Messenger to communicate with friends and family. However, some may wish to use Messenger without having a Facebook account. This article explores whether it is possible to use Messenger independently from Facebook.
Overview of Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is a messaging app and platform owned by Facebook. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, voice memos, make video and audio calls, and more. Here are some key facts about Messenger:
- Launched in 2011
- Over 1.3 billion monthly active users as of Q1 2019
- Available as a standalone app on iOS, Android, Windows devices
- Integrated into Facebook app and website
Originally, Messenger was only available to Facebook users within the Facebook app. But in 2014, Facebook launched the standalone Messenger app, allowing non-Facebook users to sign up.
Using Messenger Without a Facebook Account
When Messenger first launched as a standalone app in 2014, it was possible to use it without having a Facebook account. However, in 2015 Facebook removed this ability and now requires a Facebook account to use Messenger.
Here’s an overview of how Messenger access has changed over the years:
| Time Period | Messenger Access |
|---|---|
| 2011 – 2014 | Only available within Facebook app/site for Facebook users |
| 2014 – 2015 | Standalone app available without Facebook account |
| 2015 – present | Facebook account required for Messenger |
So in the brief window when the standalone Messenger app launched, it was possible to use it without having a Facebook account. However, now it is mandatory to have a Facebook account to use Messenger on iOS, Android, or any platform.
Some key reasons why Facebook now requires a Facebook account include:
- Drive more users to sign up for Facebook accounts
- Link user identities across Facebook products
- Enable new features like linking Facebook friends and profiles
Confirming the Requirement
To double check the requirement, I attempted to sign up for Messenger with just a phone number on an iOS device. The app gave the following message during signup:
“Messenger is for connecting with friends and family. Please sign up for Facebook to use Messenger.”
This confirms that currently it is mandatory to have a Facebook account to use Messenger on any platform or device.
Exceptions
There are a couple special cases where it is possible to use Messenger without a Facebook account:
Messenger Kids App
The Messenger Kids app is a version of Messenger designed for children under 13 years old. Parents can use it to control their child’s experience.
When setting up Messenger Kids, parents can use their own Facebook account or phone number. So in this case, the child can use Messenger Kids with just parental approval, no Facebook account needed.
Messenger Business Accounts
Pages and businesses can set up a Messenger business account to communicate with customers. These accounts do not require a personal Facebook profile, just a Facebook Page associated with the business.
So in summary, businesses can use Messenger without an individual Facebook account by setting up a Messenger business profile tied to their business Page.
Workarounds
While having a Facebook account is mandatory for Messenger access now, some workarounds existed in the past:
Using Messenger Without Facebook App
Previously, it was possible to uninstall the Facebook app from your phone while still keeping Messenger installed. However, this workaround no longer functions – deleting your Facebook app will also delete Messenger automatically.
Messenger Apps for Non-Facebook Users
Some third-party apps like “Messenger for Strangers” claimed to allow messaging between non-Facebook users. However, these apps simply connected non-users with existing Messenger/Facebook users. These apps are no longer functional.
SMS Texting on Messenger
For a brief time, Messenger allowed SMS texting capabilities so you could text contacts who didn’t have Messenger. However, this feature required linking your Facebook account and was removed.
Why Facebook Required Facebook Accounts
Here are some of the key reasons why Facebook ultimately decided to require Facebook accounts to use Messenger:
- Drive Facebook signups – By forcing Messenger users to have Facebook accounts, it grows Facebook’s user base.
- Unified identity – Your Messenger identity and friends are tied to your main Facebook identity and friends list.
- Link profiles – Users can link their Facebook profile to interact with Messenger contacts.
- Cross-platform data – Facebook can use Messenger data to better track users and target ads across its family of products.
- New features – Account requirement enabled Facebook to launch new Messenger features like chatbots and customer support messaging.
In summary, the account requirement bolsters Facebook’s key advantages – massive user base, unified identity, and targeting data. These factors have helped Messenger grow into one of the world’s most popular messaging apps.
Conclusion
While Messenger was initially available without a Facebook account in 2014, the policy changed in 2015 and Facebook accounts became mandatory.
A few limited exceptions exist, such as Messenger Kids for children under 13 and Messenger Business accounts for companies. However, for the vast majority of individual users, having a Facebook account is required to access Messenger.
Facebook made this requirement change to drive more Facebook signups, unify identities across its family of products, and enable new Messenger features.
So in conclusion – no, it is not currently possible to use Facebook Messenger without having a Facebook account. The two services are firmly linked at this point in time.