Unfriending or unfollowing someone on Facebook is a common way to put distance between yourself and another person on the platform. When you unfriend or unfollow someone, you no longer see their posts in your News Feed. However, you may still be connected with them on Messenger. This leads to the question: Does unfriending someone on Facebook also remove them from Messenger?
The short answer is: No, unfriending someone on Facebook does not automatically remove them from your Messenger contacts. Messenger and Facebook are treated as separate platforms, so your Facebook friends list and Messenger contact list are not directly connected. Unfriending only affects the Facebook connection.
Explaining the Relationship Between Facebook and Messenger
Facebook and Messenger are owned by the same company – Meta Platforms Inc. However, over time they have become separate products with distinct features. Here are some key points about the relationship between Facebook and Messenger:
- Messenger launched as an integrated feature within Facebook in 2011, allowing users to message Facebook friends.
- In 2014, Facebook separated Messenger into a standalone app.
- While Messenger originated from Facebook, it now functions independently. You can use Messenger even if you don’t have a Facebook account.
- Your Facebook friends list and Messenger contacts list are maintained separately. They may overlap, but they are not directly linked.
- Actions like unfriending on Facebook do not cascade to Messenger. The platforms operate independently in this regard.
So in summary, while Facebook and Messenger are related apps from the same parent company, they now behave as discrete platforms. This allows you to unfriend someone on Facebook while staying connected on Messenger.
What Happens When You Unfriend Someone on Facebook?
Unfriending someone on Facebook removes them from your friends list and affects what you can see from them on the platform. Here’s an overview:
- You and the unfriended person will no longer see each other’s posts in your respective News Feeds.
- If you visit their profile, you will only be able to see their limited public information and posts, not their full profile.
- They will be removed from your friends list and won’t be suggested as a friend in the future.
- You can no longer tag them or invite them to events through Facebook.
- Any connections you have through groups, events, or pages will be unaffected.
In essence, unfriending someone limits your interconnectedness and visibility on Facebook specifically. However, it does not affect your Messenger connection with that person.
When Someone is Unfriended on Facebook, What Happens on Messenger?
When you unfriend someone on Facebook, nothing changes for how you interact with that person on Messenger. Here’s what to expect:
- They will remain in your Messenger contacts list.
- You can continue to message and call them through Messenger.
- Your prior Messenger conversations and message history will still be available.
- You will still see when they are active on Messenger or typing.
- You can still share photos, videos, audio clips, and other media.
- Group conversations including the unfriended person will be unaffected.
The key takeaway is that Messenger operates separately from Facebook when it comes to contacts and messaging ability. Unfriending does not change anything on Messenger.
How to Remove Someone from Messenger After Unfriending on Facebook
If you do wish to also remove someone from Messenger after unfriending them on Facebook, it is a simple process:
- Open your Messenger app on your phone or desktop.
- Go to your contacts list in Messenger.
- Find the contact you wish to remove.
- Tap on their name and then select Remove Contact.
- Confirm that you want to remove the contact when prompted.
This will delete the contact from your Messenger contacts list. They will no longer appear in your contacts or message threads. This is permanent and cannot be undone.
Why You May Want to Also Remove a Contact from Messenger
There are a few reasons why you may want to remove someone from Messenger after unfriending them on Facebook:
- You want a complete break from the person on all Meta Platforms services.
- You only connected with them on Messenger because of your Facebook friendship.
- You don’t want them to still see when you are active on Messenger.
- You find it confusing to have unfriended contacts still on Messenger.
- You want to delete your full message history with that person.
Essentially, removing them from Messenger aligns your contact list with the unfriending action you took on Facebook.
However, it’s not strictly necessary. You may wish to simply unfriend them on Facebook but keep messaging access open on Messenger. This is a common approach for people who want to limit social media ties but maintain a messaging relationship.
Can Someone on Messenger Tell if You’ve Unfriended Them on Facebook?
When you unfriend someone on Facebook, this does not trigger any type of notification to them through either Facebook or Messenger. So there is no builtin way for them to know you’ve unfriended them.
However, there are a couple ways they may be able to tell:
- If they try to view your Facebook profile, they will see only limited public content.
- They will no longer see your posts in their own News Feed.
- Any tags or invites from you on Facebook will no longer work.
- On their own friends list, they will see that you are now “Unfriended.”
Through these signs, a perceptive person may deduce that you’ve unfriended them. But again, there is no proactive notification when someone unfriends you on Facebook. It’s up to the user to notice the changes.
On Messenger itself, there will be no signs that you unfriended them on Facebook. The only way they’d know is if you fully remove them as a Messenger contact as well.
Can You Re-Friend Someone After Unfriending on Facebook?
Yes, it is possible to re-friend someone on Facebook after you’ve unfriended them:
- Go to their profile and select “Add Friend”
- If they confirm your new friend request, you will be reconnected as Facebook friends.
- This restores your full Facebook friend status as it was before unfriending.
- You’ll see each other’s posts in News Feed and have full profile access again.
- If you removed the person from Messenger, re-friending on Facebook does not restore the Messenger connection. You’d have to add them as a new Messenger contact.
Essentially, unfriending someone is not necessarily permanent. As circumstances change, reconnecting on Facebook is an option if both people are open to it.
Best Practices for Unfriending and Removing Contacts
If you are considering unfriending someone on Facebook or removing them from Messenger, here are some best practices:
- Do it with care – Unfriending can send an unwelcoming signal and negatively impact your relationship with the person if not handled tactfully.
- Communicate directly first if appropriate – Having an honest conversation may help preserve the relationship.
- Remove them fully or keep Messenger open – Leaving them on Messenger after unfriending on Facebook can seem confusing.
- Revisit your decision later – People and relationships can change. Don’t assume unfriending has to be permanent.
- Focus on curating your feed – Be motivated by a desire to manage your digital space rather than punish others.
With tact and care, unfriending someone does not have to be overly dramatic. It can be one tool to shape your preferred experience on social media.
Conclusion
Unfriending someone on Facebook does not automatically remove them from your Messenger contacts. This is because Facebook and Messenger operate as separate platforms with distinct friends/contact lists. Unfriending on Facebook limits your interconnectedness on that specific platform, but does not impact your ability to message the person on Messenger. If you wish to also remove a Facebook unfriend from Messenger, you will need to manually delete them as a Messenger contact. Overall, it is possible to unfriend someone on Facebook while maintaining your messaging relationship with them through Messenger if you so choose.