Facebook Messenger is one of the most popular messaging platforms, with over 1.3 billion monthly active users. One of the key features of Messenger is the ability to have real-time conversations with businesses and friends through live chat.
Live chat allows you to have text-based conversations in real time with other Messenger users. It can be a great way for businesses to provide customer service and support directly within Messenger. Friends can also use live chat for casual conversations.
Enable Live Chat in Facebook Messenger
To use live chat on Facebook Messenger, the feature needs to first be enabled. The steps to enable live chat depend on whether you are using Messenger as an individual or business account.
Enable Live Chat for Personal Accounts
For personal Facebook accounts, live chat can be enabled directly within a Messenger conversation. Here’s how:
- Open an existing Messenger conversation with a friend or start a new conversation.
- At the top of the conversation window, tap on the phone icon to initiate a call. This will open a menu.
- In the menu, tap on the “Live Chat” option.
- A prompt will appear asking you to confirm enabling live chat. Tap “Turn On”.
Once enabled, you and your friend will be able to have a live text conversation. The conversation will have a “Live” tag to indicate it is happening in real time.
Enable Live Chat for Business Accounts
For Facebook business accounts, pages and profiles, live chat can be enabled through these steps:
- Go to your Facebook business settings and select “Messaging”.
- Under “Messaging Settings”, toggle the switch for “Live Chat” to the “On” position.
- Configure your live chat hours, greetings, away messages and other settings.
- Hit “Save Changes” at the bottom.
Once enabled, your customers will see a “Send Message” button on your Facebook page that they can use to initiate a live chat conversation.
Start a Live Chat Conversation
Once live chat is enabled, starting a conversation is easy. Here is how to start a live chat:
Personal Accounts
For personal Messenger conversations between friends:
- Open an existing chat thread or start a new one.
- Tap the phone icon at the top and select “Live Chat”.
- Type your message in the composition box as normal and hit enter to send.
Your friend will receive a notification that you have initiated a live chat. When they enter the conversation, you will both be able to chat in real time.
Business Accounts
For business accounts, your customers start the live chat by:
- Going to your Facebook page.
- Clicking the “Send Message” button that appears.
- Typing their first message to the page inbox.
You will receive a notification that a new conversation has started. When you enter the conversation, you can respond and have a live chat.
Chat in Real Time
Once a live chat session starts, the conversation will function just like a normal Messenger chat, with a few key differences:
- A “Live” tag will appear to indicate the real-time nature of the chat.
- Messages will be sent and received immediately, with no delay.
- You will see indicators when the other person is typing.
- You can see when a message has been seen by the other person.
The user interface for live chats is the same as for regular Messenger conversations. You can send text, stickers, GIFs, photos, voice messages and more. Everything will be in real time.
Live Chat Features
Here are some of the unique features available in live chat sessions:
- Typing indicators – When the other person is typing, you will see an ellipsis indicator.
- Read receipts – Read receipts allow you to see when your message has been seen by the other user.
- Conversation tags – You can tag conversations as urgent or remind yourself to follow up.
These features allow you to have more natural, real-time conversations over text.
End a Live Chat
By default, live chats will end automatically after 24 hours with no messages sent. You can also manually end a live chat at any time through these steps:
Personal Accounts
- Open the active live chat conversation.
- Tap the phone icon at the top.
- Select “End Live Chat” from the menu.
This will immediately convert the conversation back to a regular Messenger message thread.
Business Accounts
For business accounts, you can end a live chat by:
- Opening the active chat.
- Hovering over the profile picture of the customer.
- Clicking on the 3-dot menu.
- Selecting “End Chat”.
The customer will receive a message that the live chat has ended. You can then follow up later if needed.
Live Chat Tips
Here are some tips to have successful live chat sessions on Facebook Messenger:
- Use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation – this keeps conversations clear.
- Avoid one-word responses – elaborate your thoughts for clarity.
- Be friendly and patient – conversations happen in real time, give adequate time to respond.
- Stay on topic – keep conversations focused on the original subject.
- Provide closure – end chats by summarizing conversation points or next steps.
Following basic etiquette helps ensure you and the other party have a positive live chat experience.
Live Chat Uses
Here are some of the primary uses for Facebook Messenger’s live chat feature:
Customer Service
Businesses can use live chat to provide real-time customer support within Messenger. Customers can get immediate answers to questions rather than waiting for emails.
Personal Conversations
Friends can have ongoing “virtual hangouts” through live chat. It provides a space for real-time conversations over text.
Virtual Meetings
Remote teams can conduct meetings over Messenger live chat. It allows real-time collaboration and conversations.
Events
Event organizers or communities can use live chat for discussions during virtual or in-person events.
Appointments
Doctors, lawyers and other professionals can take virtual appointments over Messenger live chat.
Sales
Businesses can engage customers in real time and provide personalized service to drive sales.
Social
People can participate in real-time conversations around shared interests and topics.
Troubleshooting Live Chat
Here are solutions for some common issues when using live chat:
Live Chat Not Enabled
Double check that you have toggled the live chat switch on in your Messenger settings for either your personal or business account.
Can’t Find Live Chat Option
Make sure you are tapping the phone icon at the top of a Messenger conversation to reveal the live chat option.
Messages Not Sending Instantly
Check your internet connection. Live chat requires a stable internet connection to work properly.
Chat Ends Unexpectedly
Live chats automatically end after 24 hours. Make sure you or the other user has not manually ended the chat.
Notifications Not Working
Ensure notifications are enabled for Messenger in your device settings or the Messenger app settings.
Conclusion
Facebook Messenger’s live chat feature provides a great new way to have real-time, text-based conversations. It can facilitate customer service, social interactions, meetings and more.
Enabling live chat is easy in both personal and business accounts. Starting and ending chats is simple, and the interface works similarly to regular Messenger. Following best practices helps ensure you have great live chat experiences.
With over 1 billion people using Messenger every month, live chat opens up new possibilities for connection and conversation in real time.