Many Chromebook users find themselves wondering why they can’t download the Facebook app on their Chrome OS device. Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, so not having access to the official app may be frustrating for some Chromebook owners. However, there are a few reasons why Facebook has not created a dedicated app for Chromebooks.
Facebook Prioritizes Mobile Apps
Facebook primarily develops apps for mobile platforms like iOS and Android. These operating systems have much larger user bases compared to Chrome OS. As of Q2 2022, Android holds over 85% of the global smartphone market share while Chrome OS is only found on Chromebooks which make up less than 5% of the PC market. So from a business perspective, it makes sense that Facebook concentrates its efforts on the mobile apps that will reach the most users.
Developing a brand new app for Chrome OS requires engineering resources that Facebook may deem better spent improving its existing mobile apps. Unless Chromebook market share substantially grows, Facebook is unlikely to invest in building a Chromebook app.
Chromebooks Support Web Apps
Chromebooks are designed to primarily run web applications through the Chrome browser. When Chromebooks were first introduced in 2011, the Google Play store with Android apps was not yet supported on Chrome OS. So Chromebooks relied on web apps and browser-based tools.
Even though Google Play support was eventually added to Chromebooks, the devices are still centered around the Chrome browser experience. The expectation with Chromebooks is that most users will access services like Facebook through the web rather than native apps.
Facebook Offers Web Experience
Facebook recognizes that Chromebook users want access to Facebook on their device. But instead of developing a Chromebook app, Facebook provides a web-based experience that works through the Chrome browser. Users can access this experience by visiting www.facebook.com on their Chromebook.
The Facebook website offers the core functionality people expect from the platform. You can scroll through your News Feed, check notifications, post status updates, share photos, watch videos, and everything else you can do on the Facebook mobile app. The web interface is optimized for both desktop and mobile screens so it works seamlessly on Chromebooks.
Third-Party Apps Offer Alternative
There are some third-party apps on the Google Play store made to enhance the Facebook experience on Chromebooks. Apps like Swipe for Facebook and Messenger for Facebook offer Chromebook users alternative clients with additional features for Facebook.
These third-party apps are not made by Facebook itself. But they can still provide quick access to notifications, messages, and other Facebook services in a format tailored for Chrome OS. Users who want a more robust and Chromebook-friendly Facebook experience beyond the web may want to check out some of these third-party client apps.
How to Use Facebook on a Chromebook
While an official Facebook app is not available, here are a few ways to access Facebook on a Chromebook:
- Visit www.facebook.com in the Chrome browser – This is the standard Facebook website that works on all platforms.
- Add Facebook website as an app – Open Facebook in Chrome, click the menu button in top right of browser, choose “Install Facebook” to add to shelf.
- Use Messenger web app – Works like mobile Messenger with chat features.
- Download third-party apps from Google Play store – Such as Swipe or Messenger for Facebook.
- Use the Facebook Lite mobile site – At www.facebook.com/lite offers stripped down version.
The Facebook mobile site and web apps allow Chromebook users to access most core Facebook features through the browser. While not as seamless as a native app, these options prevent Chromebook owners from missing out on Facebook entirely.
Access Facebook Messages on Chromebook
Facebook Messenger is another popular app that Chromebook users may want access to. As with the main Facebook app, there is no official Messenger app from Facebook for Chrome OS. However, you can still access Facebook messages on a Chromebook through these methods:
- Use Messenger website – Go to www.messenger.com in Chrome browser.
- Install Messenger for desktop – Download software from Facebook website.
- Use Messenger Lite site – Stripped down messaging at messenger.com/lite.
- Download third-party Chrome app – Such as Messenger for Facebook in Google Play.
The Messenger desktop software and Chrome app both offer notifications and quick access to messages. Alternatively, the Messenger website and Messenger Lite provide all messaging abilities through the browser.
Posting to Facebook on a Chromebook
Posting status updates, photos, videos and other content to Facebook is easy from a Chromebook since the website offers the same publishing options. Here are tips for creating Facebook posts on Chrome OS:
- Draft posts in the status box at the top of the Facebook feed and add emoji reactions, tags, and more.
- Click Photo/Video when creating a post to upload images and videos from your Chromebook.
- Use the Check In feature to share your location in a post.
- Go Live to broadcast video in real-time to your Facebook feed.
- Use Facebook Camera from the status box to take quick photos without leaving site.
Anything you can post from the Facebook mobile app can also be posted from the desktop website on a Chromebook. You have the same ability to enrich posts with multimedia, reactions, polls, check-ins, and livestreams.
Downsides of Facebook on Chromebooks
While Chromebooks can access the main features of Facebook through the desktop site and web apps, there are some disadvantages compared to using native mobile apps on other devices:
- No push notifications – Need to have browser tab open to see new messages/notifications.
- Less optimized interface – Mobile apps designed specifically for smaller screens.
- Extra clicks to open – Not as convenient as app shortcut on home screen.
- No access offline – Require internet connection, unlike mobile apps.
- Not designed for touchscreens – More difficult on Chromebooks with touch capability.
The lack of push notifications and offline access in particular may be frustrating drawbacks for some Chromebook owners. But the functionality trade-off may be worthwhile if you prefer using a Chromebook versus phone or tablet.
Wrap Up
While Facebook has not developed an official app for Chrome OS, Chromebook users can still access Facebook’s core features through the desktop website and web apps. The experience is nearly identical aside from the lack of native app conveniences like push notifications and offline mode.
But the Facebook mobile site along with Messenger web app and desktop software allow Chromebook owners to keep up with their Facebook notifications, messages, and feeds until an official Chromebook app hopefully comes in the future. The next best option is third-party Facebook and Messenger apps specifically designed for Chromebooks available on the Google Play store.