You Need the Messenger App
If you want to send and receive Facebook messages on your iPad, you need to download the Facebook Messenger app from the iPad App Store. A Messenger button exists in the Facebook app — somewhat hidden — but tapping it takes you to the Messenger app (or prompts you to download it). After you download the Messenger app and log in, you don’t need the Facebook app to send or receive messages. Tap the Messenger app to open it. The first time Facebook Messenger loads, you are prompted to answer several questions and provide your Facebook login information. You only have to do this the first time you launch the app. The app may request your phone number, access to your address book, and the ability to send you notifications. It’s OK to decline to give the app your phone number or your address book. Facebook wants to access as much information as possible, but you can use Messenger without giving up your full contact list. The Messenger app also works if you don’t turn on notifications, although if you use Facebook messages regularly, notifications are a useful feature.
How to Use the Messenger App
When you open the Messenger App, the icons and names of Facebook members you have messaged in the past appear in the left panel. The people who are currently online are identified by a green circle and appear near the top of the panel, and offline contacts appear underneath. When you select an online Facebook friend, you can have a real-time chat with the person. If you message someone who is not online, the message is saved and delivered the next time the recipient is on Facebook. Here’s how to send a message:
Starting a Message With Someone New
If you’ve been active sending messages in the web version of Facebook, your messaging history appears in the Messenger app. If you don’t see the name of someone you want to message, tap the pencil and paper icon above the left panel. This basic message format is sufficient for many people, but you can send enhancements in addition to your message. Tap the smiley face in the text input field to add a sticker, GIF, or emoji to the message. In the To field of the New Message screen, start typing a Facebook member’s name and select the correct person from the search results. After you send a message, that person’s name and icon appear in the left panel along with all the other Facebook members you’ve messaged.
What Else Can Messenger Do?
Use the phone receiver and video camera icons in the top right corner of the Messenger screen to make free voice or video calls with anyone in your contacts list who is online. You’ll need to give the app permission to access your camera and microphone the first time you use these features, but after that, the experience is seamless.
Why Facebook Split Messages and Facebook
According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook created a separate Messages app to deliver a better customer experience. It seems more likely that Facebook wanted to streamline the messaging service in hopes that people would choose to use it over text messaging. The more people become dependent on the Messenger app, the more they are dependent on Facebook, and the more likely they are to keep using it.
