Facebook Messenger is a messaging app and platform that allows Facebook users to send messages to each other. It is integrated with Facebook, so users can easily message friends and connections they already have on Facebook without needing their phone numbers.
There are a few different ways to send a Facebook message to someone through Messenger. Here are the steps for the most common methods:
Sending a Message from Facebook App to Messenger App
If you and the recipient both have the Facebook app and Messenger app installed on your mobile devices, you can easily send a message from your Facebook app that will appear in your Messenger conversation with that person.
To do this:
- Open the Facebook app on your phone.
- Go to the profile page of the person you want to message.
- Tap the More Options button (represented by 3 horizontal dots) below their cover photo.
- Select “Send Message” from the menu.
- This will open your Messenger app (or prompt you to open it if you don’t already have it installed) and start a new message thread with that person.
- Type your message and hit send.
The message will now appear in your existing Messenger chat window with that person, or will start a new chat window if you did not previously have an active conversation thread with them.
Sending from Facebook Web to Messenger Web
You can also send a message from the Facebook website that will show up in Messenger online. Here is how:
- Go to Facebook.com and log into your account.
- Navigate to the profile page of the person you want to message.
- Click on the Message button below their cover photo.
- This will open a Messenger window on the right side of your screen.
- Type your message and hit enter to send.
This works the same as the mobile option by directing your Facebook message into your existing or new Messenger web chat window with that person.
Sending from Facebook Page to Messenger
If you manage a Facebook Page, you can also send messages to people who message your Page that get directed into Messenger conversations.
To do this from your Page:
- Go to your Page and click on Messages in the left menu.
- Open the message thread with the person you want to reply to.
- Type your reply in the message box at the bottom.
- Click the arrow icon next to the Send button.
- Select “Send as Message” from the dropdown menu.
This will turn your Page reply into a Messenger message with that person so you can have an ongoing chat.
Sharing Content to Messenger
You can also share content from Facebook directly into a Messenger chat. This allows you to send things like photos, videos, and links to friends straight through Messenger without downloading or reuploading the content.
To do this:
- While viewing a post, photo, or video on Facebook, click the Share button.
- Select Messenger from the sharing options.
- Pick the friend or group you want to share it with.
- Type a message to go along with the content (optional).
- Hit Send.
The content will appear in your Messenger chat window as if you had sent it directly through Messenger.
Differences Between Facebook Messages and Messenger
While you can go back and forth between Facebook and Messenger, it’s important to understand some key differences between messaging through Facebook vs. Messenger:
| Facebook Messages | Messenger |
|---|---|
| – Send messages on Facebook.com or in the Facebook mobile apps | – Primarily uses the standalone Messenger app |
| – Messages may get lost in the Facebook inbox | – Messenger is focused solely on messaging |
| – Limited features | – More interactive features like stickers, reactions, video chat |
| – Occasional notifications | – Frequent notifications and online presence indicators |
While you can use either, Messenger provides a richer messaging experience focused just on connecting with people.
TroubleshootingFacebook to Messenger Messaging
If you are having trouble sending messages from Facebook to Messenger, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure you have the latest versions of the Facebook and Messenger apps installed
- Check that you have a strong internet connection
- Force quit and restart either app if messaging is not working
- Verify you have messaging enabled under your Facebook notification settings
- Try sending from Facebook on desktop if mobile isn’t working
- Consider uninstalling and reinstalling either app
- Make sure Messenger didn’t get logged out or disconnected from your Facebook account
In most cases, reinstalling the apps, checking your internet connection, or restarting your device should resolve any issues sending messages between the platforms.
Additional Tips for Facebook and Messenger
Here are some additional tips and best practices for navigating messaging between Facebook and Messenger:
- You can customize notifications for Messenger so you are alerted when particular people message you.
- Turn on chat heads in Messenger to keep conversations handy in a small floating window.
- Use Messenger shortcuts from Facebook’s home screen to quickly jump into common chats.
- See when friends are active on Messenger to optimize your messaging timing.
- Message yourself on Messenger to easily share notes, links, photos etc. between devices.
- Add friends on Facebook to more easily start Messenger conversations with them.
Conclusion
Facebook and Messenger make it easy to carry conversations across multiple platforms. Whether chatting on mobile or desktop, you can seamlessly message Facebook friends directly in Messenger without having to share contact information. This allows you to enjoy the interactive features of Messenger while still leveraging your existing Facebook connections.