Facebook now requires iOS users to install the Messenger iOS app to read and send messages, which is a total pain in the arse as it requires yet another app to install when everything worked fine.
However, there is a hack to avoid installing Messenger for iOS—but still bring the original functionality of accessing messages in the Facebook iOS app. This trick was first noted by The Guardian:
All iPhone users have to do avoid this unpopular decision is to hit the install Messenger button when prompted by the standard Facebook app, but switch to the App Store while the Messenger app is being installed and stop the installation or delete the app.
Re-opening the standard Facebook app should have chat available in Messages, as before Facebook’s attempts to try to force Messenger on users.
Interested? Here’s how to do it:
1. Upon seeing this message in the Facebook iOS app, tap the ‘Install’ prompt, which will jump you over to the App Store.
2. Update: Once you get to this screen below, don’t bother tapping install–just jump back to Facebook for iOS and your messaging function will return (thanks Sam). No install or pausing required.
3. Now, jump back to Facebook for iOS—your will have full access to your messages again, without having to install Messenger! You can again send and receive messages and also start group chats, as seen below:
This works with Facebook’s most recent iOS app update, which the company says will reduce crashes by 50 percent.
Let us know if this hack works for you! Of course, this hack is only going to work until Facebook closes the loophole. Until then, enjoy!
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I tried another hack that worked perfectly and is much easier!!
First, delete Facebook app.
then go to safari and log in to Facebook, and viola!!
my battery thanked me as well, and I have 2 less app to fumble between!!
Yeah, I was going to write about that but using the Facebook app has more functionality than the web version, when it comes to posting, sharing, etc.
Agreed, but it’s done as a sort of protest to this stupid idea. if enough users do it, they might listen?!
Facebook listening to it’s users? Ha! That’s a good one!
I still prefer the messenger app on the matter of bandwidth. Loading the main app triggers a load of the timeline, when I may only care about seeing the unread message. Battery and data waste =/
I’m still sticking with the msg app
You can delete the messenger app while paused and it will still let u send Facebook messages
I deleted the FB messenger app to try this and i’m able to send messages through the regular FB app now without this hack.
You don’t even have to download – just hitting the install button within the Facebook app will jump you to the App Store, and then functionality immeditaely returns within the Facebook app.
Ah, thanks!
or you could just jailbreak your iPhone and install FBNoNeedMessenger from Cydia
This article is amazing! You don’t know how much grief you saved me lol
Enjoy 🙂
Stopped working as of today. Major major blow …. I wonder if the fb 14.0 update blocked it?!
True Facebook found the “hack” and looks like its now patched. Now we have no choice but to bend over backwards and give out phone and personal info to Facebook by way of their Messaging program.
They killed the hack now 🙁
How do you hack into someone else Facebook from iphone
This trick does not work at all..