How to Use Facebook Messenger

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Open the app store on your mobile device.

   You can download the Messenger app for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, and Windows Phone.
   
   Open your device's app store to find and download the app.
   
   You can also open the Messenger app store page directly by opening the Messages section of the Facebook app.
2. 2

   Step 2: Search for "Messenger."

   There will likely be multiple results that appear, and some may be named "Messenger" as well. , Check the publisher of the apps in the list and find the official app from Facebook.
   
   Tap the "Install" button to download and install the app.
   
   Your device may need to be connected to a wireless network in order to download apps. , When you open Messenger, you'll be prompted to log in with a Facebook account.
   
   If you already have the Facebook app on your device, you won't need to enter your login information.
   
   If you don't have a Facebook account, you can create a special Messenger account using your phone number.
   
   This will allow you to chat with other people in your contacts list that use messenger, but you won't be able to access Facebook chats.
   
   Tap "Not on Facebook" on the login screen to create a Messenger account.
   
   This feature is not available in all areas., When you launch Messenger, you'll see all of your Facebook conversations in the Recent tab.
   
   Tap any of these conversations to open them. , You can create a new message from the Recent tab by tapping the "New Message" button: iOS
   - Tap the New Message button in the upper-right corner.
   
   Android
   - Tap the "+" button in the lower-right corner and select "Write Message."
   
   After starting a new message, you'll be shown a list of friends that you contact the most.
   
   You can tap a friend on this list or search at the top to find anyone in your friends list or contacts.
   
   You can also add any groups that you've created.
   
   You can add additional friends by typing in names after selecting the first recipient. , At the bottom of the conversation is a text box with “Write a message” displayed.
   
   Tap on it if your keyboard hasn't appeared.
   
   Unlike SMS messages, there is no practical limit on the amount of characters you can use (20,000). , This button will replace your onscreen keyboard with the emoji keyboard.
   
   You can swipe left and right to view the different categories, and scroll up and down to see all of the emoji in each one. iOS
   - Tap the Smiley button to the left of your space bar.
   
   Tap "ABC" to return to the regular keyboard.
   
   Android
   - The button can be found to the right of the text field, and looks like four smilies arranged in a square.
   
   Tap it to open the emoji keyboard, and tap it again to return to the regular keyboard. , If you haven't typed anything, you'll notice the Like button next to the text field.
   
   Tap this to quickly send a Like when your friend sends you something interesting.
   
   It will be sent as soon as you tap it.
   
   Press and hold the Like button to increase the size of the thumbs up.
   
   If you hold it too long it will "pop."
   
   You can change some settings related to your conversation on this screen.
   
   Note that some of these changes will be visible by all participants.
   
   Tap "Notifications" to turn notifications for that conversation on or off.
   
   Tap "Color" to change the color of the conversation.
   
   The other participants will see this change.
   
   Tap "Emoji" to assign a special emoji character to the conversation.
   
   This will replace the "Like" button.
   
   Tap "Nicknames" to give each participant a special nickname.
   
   This will only apply to the current conversation.
   
   Tap "View Profile" to view the person's Facebook profile. , You'll notice small profile pictures along the right side of the conversation.
   
   The picture indicates how far in the conversation that person has read. , You can use your device's camera to quickly snap and send a picture to the other people in the conversation.
   
   You may need to allow Messenger to access your device's camera and storage.
   
   Tap the circle to take a picture.
   
   Press and hold the circle to record a video.
   
   The video can be up to 15 seconds long.
   
   You can drag your finger off of the button to cancel the recording.
   
   Tap the Camera button in the corner to switch between the front and back cameras.
   
   Tap "Send" after taking the picture or recording the video to send it to the conversation. , You can use the Gallery button to find pictures saved to your device's camera roll and send them to the conversation.
   
   Tap a picture and then tap "Send" to send the image.
   
   You can tap the Pencil button to draw and write on the picture before sending it. , Facebook Messenger has a variety of stickers available that you can insert into your messages.
   
   Scroll left and right along the top of the sticker panel to see the different packs you have.
   
   Tap a sticker to send it immediately.
   
   Press and hold a sticker to see a preview.
   
   Many stickers are animated.
   
   Tap the "+" on the right end of the sticker packs to browse the Sticker Store for new stickers.
   
   There are lots of different packs available, and all of them are currently free. , GIF files are animated images that are popular for quick reactions.
   
   Messenger lets you search for GIFs hosted by several popular GIF sites and quickly send them to the conversation.
   
   Some of the more popular GIFs at the moment will be displayed when you open this tab.
   
   Search for the GIF you want to use.
   
   For example, if you want to send a Battlestar Galactica GIF, type "battlestar" into the search field.
   
   Tapping a GIF will send it immediately to the conversation. , You can record audio notes that the other people in the conversation can play at their leisure.
   
   If you're using a device with a small screen, you may have to tap the "..." button first.
   
   Press and hold the Record button to begin recording your audio note.
   
   Release your finger to immediately send the recording.
   
   Drag your finger off of the Record button and release to cancel. , Photo Magic will scan the pictures that you take on your phone, even if you're not in Messenger, and attempt to match faces with your Facebook friends.
   
   If a match is made, you'll be notified and can instantly send the picture to everyone tagged in the photo through Messenger.
   
   Open the Settings or Profile tab in Messenger.
   
   Select "Photos & Media." Tap "Photo Magic" and then toggle it on.
   
   Open the notification that appears when you take pictures of friends.
   
   Tap "Send" to send the picture to a Messenger conversation with everyone tagged in the image. , You can make free phone or video calls with anyone that uses the Messenger app.
   
   If you open a conversation with someone and the call buttons are grayed out at the top of the screen, or you see "Invite Name to Messenger," that person is not using the Messenger app and cannot be called.
   
   You can see which of your contacts use Messenger by looking at the icon in the corner of their profile image.
   
   If you see the Messenger bolt icon, they are using Messenger.
   
   If you see the Facebook icon, they are using Facebook messages through the website. , Messenger will begin attempting to contact the other person.
   
   Their device will ring, provided they have call notifications enabled and have an internet connection. , There is no fee for Messenger, but you will use your mobile data if you are not connected to a wireless network.
   
   A video chat can eat up data quickly, so try to limit video chats to when you're connected to Wi-Fi. , You can insert your location into conversations so that your friends can easily find you.
   
   You'll find this option in open conversations. , Enable location sharing if prompted by Messenger. , When the map first opens, the pin will be at your current locations.
   
   You can drag the map around underneath the pin to pick a different location to share.
   
   You can select from nearby businesses in the list below, or search for specific locations using the search field at the top of the screen.
   
   Tap the crosshair or navigation arrow button to return the pin to your current location. , A map will appear in the conversation with the location of the pin and the place or business if you selected one.
   
   When someone taps the map, it will open full-screen for them, allowing them to get navigation directions. , You can send and receive money using Messenger, and all you'll need is a valid debit card.
   
   To get started, you'll need to add your card information.
   
   This will allow you to transfer money to and from your bank account., This will open the Payments screen., This is the only payment method supported by Messenger.
   
   You'll need a bank or credit union-issued debit card in order to send or receive money.
   
   Credit cards, pre-paid debit cards, and PayPal are not supported.
   
   You'll need a debit card to both send and receive money. , Enter in the debit card number, expiration date, security code on the back, and ZIP code.
   
   Tap "Save" to add the card to your account.
   
   Messenger does not support all banks, and your debit card may not yet be supported. , Now that the card has been added, you can start sending and receiving money.
   
   You can open a conversation with a single person or with a group., This will open the send and receive money options.
   
   If there are multiple people in the conversation, you'll be prompted to select a person before proceeding. , You can tap the "Pay" or "Request" tabs to switch between modes.
   
   Enter the amount you want to send someone or want to request from someone., You can clarify what you are sending or requesting money for.
   
   Use this if the other person may be unclear., Once you're satisfied, tap "Next" to send the payment request.
   
   The recipient will need to accept it (and have payments set up for their account), and then the money will start transferring.
   
   It can take three business days for the money to appear in your bank account., You can request rides from Uber and Lyft within your Messenger conversations.
   
   This can be great for letting a friend know you're on the way, or for ordering a ride for someone.
   
   You'll need an Uber or Lyft account to use this feature, and will be guided through creating one if you don't have one yet.
   
   You can also open a conversation directly with the Uber or Lyft chatbots.
   
   Start a new conversation with the Uber or Lyft bot and then proceed with these instructions. , This will open the ride ordering menu., Currently you can select between Uber and Lyft (if they are available in your area).
   
   You'll still need an account with that service.
   
   You won't see this option if you started the process directly from a conversation with a bot If you don't have an Uber or Lyft account, you'll be taken through the process of creating an account and adding your payment information. , This is required so that you can connect with the transportation service through the Messenger app., Depending on your location and the service you chose, you may have multiple ride options.
   
   Use the tabs to switch between them, and check with the transportation company's support site to see the difference between them., By default, it will be set to your current location.
   
   You can change this to anywhere, which is useful for ordering a ride for someone else., You'll need to enter the destination before you order the ride., The time it takes for your ride to appear will depend on local factors.
   
   Payment is handled through the payment information stored with the travel service, or through the debit card associated with your Messenger account., After ordering the ride, you'll receive a message from the ride service chat bot with the confirmation.
   
   You'll be able to find all of your ride receipts here, as well as chat with customer support if necessary.
   
   You can find this conversation in your Recent tab. , Messenger allows you to install a variety of apps designed to work in conjunction with the Messenger.
   
   You can do this from any conversation. , This will display additional conversation options. , You can scroll down through the list to see all of the apps that will work with Messenger.
   
   Some apps are standalone apps that integrate with Messenger, while others are designed specifically for it.
   
   App availability varies depending on the device you are using. , All apps for Messenger are installed through your device's app store. , Tap "Get" or "Install" and install the add-on app like you would any other app on your device. , It should have a blue dot on it, indicating new options are available. , You'll find it in the list at the top of the screen.
   
   This will open the app on your device. , Different apps will do different things, but most are related to creating content that you'll send through messenger.
   
   Refer to the app's support page for guides on getting the most out of it. , The location of this and the exact process will vary depending on the app, but you can usually send whatever you create directly back to Messenger. , You'll get a preview of what you're about to send before you send it. , Chat-bots are a way for people to interact with companies and organizations without having to deal with phone calls or waiting for email responses.
   
   Chatbot support just started rolling out, and there are only a few available at the time of this writing.
   
   Below are a few of the available chatbots so far:
   CNN
   - m.me/cnn Wall Street Journal
   - m.me/wsj Poncho
   - m.me/hiponcho 1-800-flowers
   - m.me/1800flowers Spring
   - m.me/springNYC , This will display all of the contacts you have. , If a chatbot is available to contact, you'll see it in the "Bots" list.
   
   The search feature is still a little unreliable, so you may find it easier to visit the chatbot's website (e.g. m.me/cnn) on your phone's mobile browser and choose to open the link in Messenger.
   
   This will open the conversation window directly., This is where things get interesting.
   
   Chatbots respond to specific commands and keywords, and don't work very well with natural language yet.
   
   Try to be as specific as possible, and just use a few words.
   
   Experiment with different approaches for different bots.
   
   For example, you could say "headlines" to the CNN bot, and it would respond with the day's top headlines.
   
   You could type "elections" and get news primarily related to upcoming elections.
   
   With 1-800-flowers, you can type "order flowers" to see what's available and place an online order.
   
   During the ordering process, you can type "changed my mind" to cancel., You can set how Messenger notifies you of new messages in the Settings.
   
   Tap the "Settings" button in the lower-right corner. , This will open your notification settings for the Messenger app.
   
   Note:
   You cannot completely disable notifications or change the sound settings from this menu.
   
   You'll need to disable Messenger notifications from the Settings app as explained in another step. , This determines what information is shown in the alert banner when a message is received. , Tap the "Mute" toggle to mute notifications for a set amount of time.
   
   You can choose from several intervals or the next morning (9 AM).
   
   You cannot completely disable notifications this way. , Messenger has its own notification settings for when the app is open and active.
   
   In this menu, you can toggle sound and vibration on or off for messages received while the app is open. , If you want to change how notifications appear, whether a sound is played, or you want to disable notifications completely, you'll need to use your iOS device's Settings app. , This will display a list of apps. , This will open the notification settings for the Messenger app. , Turning this off will completely disable Messenger notifications. , You can set whether or not notifications appear in the Notification Center, if a sound is played, if the app icon gets a number indicating unread messages, and whether messages appear on the lock screen.
   
   You can also set how notifications appear when you are using a different app on the device. , You'll find the app settings in this section, including your notification options.
   
   Tap the "Profile" button in the upper-right corner. , This will open the Messenger app's notification settings.
   
   You cannot completely disable notifications for Messenger here.
   
   You'll need to use your Android's Settings app to turn off notifications as explained in another step. , These previews show you the name and message contents for new messages received in the notification.
   
   Turn this off if you don't want this information appearing on your lock screen. , You can turn the vibration for new notifications off using the slider. , If you have an LED light on your device, you can toggle it on or off here.
   
   You may not have this option if your device doesn't have a light. , Use the Sound slider to turn the Messenger notification sound on or off. , You can select from any notification sounds you have loaded on your Android device. , Messenger uses several different sounds in the app, such as when you refresh your conversation list.
   
   This slider will allow you to turn these sounds on or off. , If you want to turn notifications for Messenger off completely, you'll need to do so from the Settings app on your Android:
   Open Settings and tap "Apps" or "Application manager." Tap "Messenger" in your list of applications.
   
   Uncheck the "Allow notifications" box.
   
   If you don't have this box here, return to the main Settings menu and select "Sound & notification." Tap the "Apps" option in the "Notifications" section.
   
   Select "Messenger" from the list of apps, then toggle "Block" on. , Messenger can now be accessed from the Messenger.com website.
   
   You can use most of the features available in the mobile app, including payments.
   
   There is no longer a dedicated Messenger computer program.
   
   Avoid downloading any program that claims to be able to connect to Facebook Messenger, as these put your account details at risk. , If you're already logged into Facebook on your computer, you'll be able to proceed without entering your login details. , You'll find a list of your conversations on the left side of the page.
   
   Selecting a conversation will open it in the main frame, and you'll find the image, sticker, GIF, recording, and payment options to the right of the message field.
   
   Some features, such as ordering transportation, are not available on the web version.
3. 3

   Step 3: Install the Messenger app from Facebook.

4. 4

   Step 4: Log into Messenger.

5. 5

   Step 5: View your Facebook conversations.

6. 6

   Step 6: Start a new conversation.

7. 7

   Step 7: Add friends to the message.

8. 8

   Step 8: Write a message.

9. 9

   Step 9: Tap the emoji button to insert emoji.

10. 10

    Step 10: Tap the Like button to send a thumbs up.

11. 11

    Step 11: Tap the ⓘ button (Android) or conversation name (iOS) to change the color

12. 12

    Step 12: and other settings.

13. 13

    Step 13: See how far the other people have read.

14. 14

    Step 14: Tap the Camera button to take and send a picture or video.

15. 15

    Step 15: Tap the Gallery button to send a picture from your device.

16. 16

    Step 16: Tap the Smiley button to send stickers.

17. 17

    Step 17: Tap the GIF button to find and send an animated GIF.

18. 18

    Step 18: Tap the Microphone button to send an audio note.

19. 19

    Step 19: Turn on Photo Magic to have Messenger detect your friends in pictures you take.

20. 20

    Step 20: Open a conversation with the person you want to call.

21. 21

    Step 21: Tap the Phone or Video Call button to initiate a call.

22. 22

    Step 22: Talk for as long as you'd like.

23. 23

    Step 23: Open a conversation.

24. 24

    Step 24: Tap "..." and then tap "Location."

25. 25

    Step 25: Move the pin to the location you want to share.

26. 26

    Step 26: Tap "Send" to send the location of your pin.

27. 27

    Step 27: Open the Settings (iOS) or Profile (Android) screen.

28. 28

    Step 28: Tap "Payments" in the settings menu.

29. 29

    Step 29: Tap "Add New Debit Card."

30. 30

    Step 30: Enter your debit card information.

31. 31

    Step 31: Open a conversation with the person you want to send money to or request money from.

32. 32

    Step 32: Tap "..." and then tap "Payments."

33. 33

    Step 33: Enter the amount you want to send or receive.

34. 34

    Step 34: Enter a reason (optional).

35. 35

    Step 35: Send the request or payment.

36. 36

    Step 36: Open a conversation with someone.

37. 37

    Step 37: Tap "..." and then select "Transportation."

38. 38

    Step 38: Select the service you want to use.

39. 39

    Step 39: Allow the service you select to access your Messenger account.

40. 40

    Step 40: Select the type of car you want.

41. 41

    Step 41: Set the location that you want to be picked up.

42. 42

    Step 42: Set your desired destination.

43. 43

    Step 43: Tap "Request" to order the ride.

44. 44

    Step 44: Find your ride receipts in the conversation with the ride service.

45. 45

    Step 45: Open a conversation with someone.

46. 46

    Step 46: Tap the "..." button.

47. 47

    Step 47: Scroll through the list of apps available.

48. 48

    Step 48: Tap "Install" or "Open" to open the app's store page.

49. 49

    Step 49: Install the app.

50. 50

    Step 50: Tap the "..." button in your Messenger conversation again.

51. 51

    Step 51: Tap your new add-on app.

52. 52

    Step 52: Use the app.

53. 53

    Step 53: Tap the "Send to Messenger" button.

54. 54

    Step 54: Tap "Send" in Messenger to send what you created in the other app.

55. 55

    Step 55: Find a chatbot you want to talk to.

56. 56

    Step 56: Open the People section of the Messenger app.

57. 57

    Step 57: Search for the chatbot you want to add.

58. 58

    Step 58: Start chatting with the chatbot.

59. 59

    Step 59: Open the Settings section of the app.

60. 60

    Step 60: Tap "Notifications."

61. 61

    Step 61: Toggle previews on or off.

62. 62

    Step 62: Mute notifications for a set amount of time.

63. 63

    Step 63: Tap the "Notifications in Messenger" option to set in-app preferences.

64. 64

    Step 64: Open the Settings app on your device to change other notification options.

65. 65

    Step 65: Tap "Notifications" in the list of Settings options.

66. 66

    Step 66: Tap "Messenger" in the list of applications.

67. 67

    Step 67: Toggle notifications on or off using the "Allow Notifications" slider.

68. 68

    Step 68: Toggle your other notification settings.

69. 69

    Step 69: Open the Profile section of the app.

70. 70

    Step 70: Tap "Notifications & Sounds."

71. 71

    Step 71: Toggle notification previews on or off.

72. 72

    Step 72: Toggle vibration on or off.

73. 73

    Step 73: Toggle the notification light on or off.

74. 74

    Step 74: Toggle the notification sound on or off.

75. 75

    Step 75: Tap "Notification Sound" to change the sound for Messenger notifications.

76. 76

    Step 76: Toggle in-app sounds on or off.

77. 77

    Step 77: Open the Settings app for your Android device to completely disable notifications.

78. 78

    Step 78: Visit .messenger.com in your desktop browser.

79. 79

    Step 79: Log in with your Facebook account.

80. 80

    Step 80: Use the Messenger website like you would the app.

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