A function that Facebook previously only offered in a few countries is now being rolled out worldwide: Messenger can be used without a Facebook account.
It was a few years ago that Facebook outsourced its news to its own app. At first it was just an offer, and then it became a requirement: The messenger app is currently the only way to access your Facebook messages on your smartphone – at least officially. We reveal how it works without it.
Facebook messages without Messenger 2024
- To do this, simply open Facebook in a browser, such as Google Chrome or Safari, and then request the desktop version.
- You can access your messages simply by tapping the messenger symbol on the page.
- Reading, replying and group chats work without restrictions.
Particularly practical: You don’t have to leave the mobile site “mobil.facebook.com”, which is optimized for smartphones, despite the desktop mode, so the interface remains easy to use even on the smartphone display.
This is how it works with Google Chrome
In Chrome, tap the menu icon, which consists of three dots, in the top right corner. Scroll down the pop-up menu and select “Show Desktop.” The method works in both the Chrome version for Android and on the iPhone.
This is how it works with Apple Safari
In the iPhone browser Safari, desktop mode is a little more hidden: It’s in the share menu. Tap the square icon with the up arrow in the middle of the menu ribbon. Now swipe from right to left in the bottom band with the gray icons and select “Request Desktop”.
This is how you can use Facebook Messenger without an account
- Download Facebook Messenger for Android or iOS.
- When setting up the app, click “Not on Facebook?”
- Now enter your mobile phone number as well as your first and last name and upload a profile picture. Only with this information can you use Messenger without a Facebook account.
- Unlike a regular account, this way you can only get in touch with people who are in your phone address book and who have also stored their cell phone number on Facebook.
Does it have to be that way?
Before you get started, you should consider whether it makes sense for you to use Facebook Messenger without a Facebook account. Especially if you want to avoid Facebook for data protection reasons, this path is actually blocked: Facebook is now busy collecting data about you and your communication again.
In this case, it’s probably better to suggest alternatives to Facebook and Facebook Messenger to your friends. There are a lot of them and most of them can do more and use your data more sparingly.
First you select the option “I don’t have a Facebook account”, whereupon the messenger asks you for your phone number. You enter this and confirm the SMS code – this happens automatically if you allow the messenger access to your SMS.
Facebook may recognize you based on your phone number, in which case, touch ‘This is not my account.’ Now, Facebook Messenger is requesting a photo from you, but you can skip this step.
And one more step: Facebook asks you whether you want to synchronize your contacts, SMS history and caller list. This step is also optional. If you choose yes, you will immediately see a few contacts and the messenger will add names of users that you do not have in your contacts. If you choose no, this will not happen. Finally, you can choose whether Messenger should be your default SMS app.
Once the setup is complete, you can use Facebook Messenger without a Facebook account.
How to Use Facebook Messenger without the App?
Facebook, which has taken its place among the popular social media applications, has not given its place to anyone for years. Although there are more users on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, Facebook always has a special place because it has been an application for years.
Quick start Guide 2024
You can do this by logging into your Facebook account. What you need to do is delete the Facebook Messenger application from your mobile device. Access Facebook.com/home.php via browser. Log in after entering your user information.
- Open your mobile browser.
- Then go to Facebook.com and do not log in.
- If your browser has this feature, open the context menu.
- Then click the checkbox next to Request DesktopSite.
- After typing your user information, log in.
Facebook’s Messenger app can be easily tricked using the browser. Follow our step-by-step instructions or check out our quick guide:
Quick guide: Bypass Facebook Messenger on Android smartphones 2024
- In a browser app, visit the URL https://mobile.facebook.com/.
- Open the browser menu at the top right using the three dots.
- View the desktop version
- Then simply use Facebook Messenger in the browser.
Quick Guide: Bypass Facebook Messenger on iPhones
- Open the URL https://mobile.facebook.com/ in Safari.
- Open the share menu at the bottom of the screen using the box with the up arrow.
- Find and select the “Request Desktop Site” entry
- Then simply use Facebook Messenger in the browser.
Note: Due to updates, there currently seems to be no way to read Facebook messages on your smartphone without Messenger.
The essentials in brief
- On the mobile site https://mbasic.facebook.com you can manage your Facebook messages without the app.
- The messenger app requires numerous access permissions.
- Messages can be read without encryption.
Anyone who writes direct messages to friends via Facebook should actually only use Messenger. As early as May 2014, the social network began removing direct messages from the app and making them only sent and received via Messenger. Two years later, the mobile website m.facebook.com was also introduced.
Conclusion
In this article, we gave you information on how to log in without the Facebook Messenger application. Of course you also want to be able to read and write Facebook messages on your mobile device. However, Facebook’s Messenger app is not particularly popular with users.