Bump is a feature in Facebook Messenger that allows users to get each other’s attention in a group conversation. When someone sends a bump, it causes the Messenger app to shake and make a knocking sound for the recipients. Bumping someone in Messenger is a way to notify them that you want their attention without having to send an actual message.
How does bump work in Messenger?
The bump feature in Messenger allows you to virtually “nudge” or “poke” other people in a group chat to get their attention. When you send a bump to someone, the other person’s Messenger app will shake and make a knocking sound. They will also receive a notification saying “[Your name] bumped the group.”
To use the bump feature:
- Open a group conversation in Messenger
- Tap on the name of the person or group you want to bump at the top of the chat
- Tap “Bump”
This will immediately send a bump notification to everyone else in the chat. The notification will tell them who bumped the group. Bumping someone in a one-on-one Messenger chat works the same way.
When should you use the bump feature?
Here are some common situations when bumping someone in Messenger can be useful:
- Getting someone’s attention in a busy group chat
- Notifying someone that you sent them a question or comment in a large chat
- Lightheartedly poking fun at someone in a playful way
- Indicating that you want someone to look at a photo, video, or link you just shared
- Gently reminding someone to respond if they haven’t replied to your messages
Bumping is meant to be an innocuous way to get someone’s attention, not an aggressive action. It’s better to use it sparingly rather than bombarding people with bumps.
Can you turn off bumps?
If you don’t like getting bumped, you can disable bump notifications:
- Open Messenger settings
- Go to Notifications
- Turn off “Show Bump Notifications”
This will mute bumps so you don’t get notifications or sounds from them. However, bumps will still show up visually in your chats.
There is no way to prevent someone from bumping you. Even if you turn off bump notifications, others can still send bumps to you in a group chat. The only way to avoid bumps entirely is to leave the conversation.
Bump alternatives
Aside from bumping, there are some other ways to get someone’s attention in a Messenger chat:
- @ mention them by name – This sends them a notification
- Send a sticker or GIF – Visuals tend to catch people’s eye
- Send an audio clip – The sound often prompts people to look at their phone
- Start a poll – Voting on the poll forces people to open the chat
However, bumping is unique in that it causes Messenger to physically shake and make a sound. This kind of alert can be helpful if you really need to grab someone’s focus in a busy conversation.
Is bumping rude?
Bumping someone can come across as rude or aggressive if overused. Some tips for bumping politely include:
- Only bump people if truly necessary
- Don’t bump the same person multiple times in a row
- Avoid bumping someone who recently came online – they likely saw your earlier messages
- Use bumps sparingly in large group chats
- Bump privately first before bumping publicly in a group
It’s also courteous to follow up your bump with a quick explanatory message like “Sorry for the bump! Just wanted to make sure you saw this.”
Fun and creative ways to use bumps
When used appropriately, bumps can have some fun and creative applications as well:
- Play a game of digital tag by bumping friends back and forth
- Bump someone on their birthday along with a celebratory message
- Create a chain message by bumping person after person
- Have everyone bump the chat at a specified time as a coordinated surprise
- Use bumps as cues while collaborating on a project or brainstorming together
Getting creative with bumps can liven up conversations and bring people together in a chat. Just be mindful not to overdo it!
Bump notifications
When you get bumped in Messenger, you’ll receive a few different notifications:
- A banner notification saying “[Name] bumped” will appear at the top of your screen
- The Messenger app icon will show a colorful animation
- The chat will shake and make a knocking sound effect
If you miss these alerts, you’ll see “[Name] bumped the group” as a message in your chat history as well.
To customize your bump notifications:
- Open Messenger settings
- Tap Notifications
- Adjust notification sounds and vibrations for bumps
You can mute bump sounds if you find them annoying. But this will keep the visual bump animations.
Is there a bump limit?
Messenger doesn’t seem to enforce any hard limit on how many times you can bump someone. However, excessive repeated bumping is generally considered rude spam behavior.
Here are some good practices to avoid bump spam:
- Don’t bump the same person more than 2-3 times in a row
- Wait for a response before bumping someone again
- Avoid bombarding large group chats with bumps
- If someone asks you to stop bumping, respect their request
If someone is aggressively bump spamming you, you can mute or even block them. And you can report abusive spammers to Facebook for review.
Troubleshooting bump issues
Here are some common bump problems and how to fix them:
Bumps not working
- Make sure you have the latest version of Messenger
- Force quit and relaunch the Messenger app
- Check your internet connection
- Restart your phone
Can’t find the bump button
- Tap the name at the top of your chat, then tap Bump
- The button only appears in group chats with 3+ people
Bumps not making a sound
- Check Do Not Disturb settings on your phone
- Make sure bump sounds are turned on in Messenger settings
- Try force quitting and reopening the Messenger app
Bump notifications not working
- Verify Messenger notifications are enabled in your phone settings
- Go to Messenger settings and make sure Show Bump Notifications is on
- Close out of Messenger completely and reopen it
If bumps still aren’t functioning properly after troubleshooting, submit feedback to Messenger support for further help.
Bump alternatives on other platforms
Some alternatives to Messenger’s bump feature on other chat platforms include:
| Platform | Bump Alternative |
|---|---|
| Mention someone by name | |
| Signal | React to a message with an emoji |
| Telegram | Send a poke animation |
| Slack | Send @channel notification |
| Discord | @ mention someone |
However, none of these platforms replicate Messenger’s unique shaking and knocking bump alert. The bump feature is exclusive to Facebook’s messaging app.
The history of bumps on Messenger
Messenger first introduced bumps in May 2016. Here is a brief timeline of the feature’s history:
- May 2016 – Bumps launch on iOS and Android
- June 2016 – Users can disable bump notifications
- September 2016 – Bumps expanded from one-on-one to group chats
- October 2016 – Bump limit increased from two per conversation to unlimited
- January 2017 – Repeated bumps no longer stack notifications
- May 2019 – Swipe up to quickly reply to bumps (Android only)
Overall, bumps have remained one of Messenger’s most popular and distinctive features over the years. The ability to virtually “nudge” friends brings an interactive element to conversations.
Key milestones
Some key milestones in the evolution of Messenger’s bump feature include:
- Initial bump launch – This introduced bumps for one-on-one chats in May 2016.
- Group bumping – Group bumping completely changed the utility of the feature by allowing nudging in busy group chats.
- Bump notifications – Giving users more control over bump notifications helped reduce unwanted bump spam.
- Unlimited bumps – Removing the bump limit encouraged creative usage, while reliance on social norms prevented abuse.
These changes transformed bumps from a gimmicky novelty into an essential Messenger tool for getting attention.
Conclusion
Messenger’s bump feature provides a fun and effective way to virtually nudge your contacts. It enables you to get someone’s attention without having to actually message them. Bumping can be helpful for highlighting important messages or bringing focus back to a conversation.
However, be mindful not to overuse bumps, as excessive bumping can come across as rude and spammy. Use bumps only when necessary and be creative in how you implement them. With proper etiquette, bumps can add vibrancy and interactivity to your chats on Messenger.