Facebook's Best-Kept Secret Is Messenger.com

2018-11-09T15:23:00.000Z

Everyone and their grandmother knows all about Facebook. You can't not. The social network has more than 1.4 billion daily users across the globe.

It's an essential part of modern life.

Less well known is that in addition to Facebook.com, the California tech company has a second, stripped-down website you can use to talk to your friends.

And if that's all you want to do, it's a whole lot better than the original Facebook.

Take a look ...

First, let's look at Facebook's main website. It has a huge amount of functionality, with photos, groups, news, statuses, and so on.

But what if you want to just message a friend? That's relegated to about a quarter of the screen. The rest is just irrelevant annoyances.

Luckily for you, Facebook has a little-known alternative.

Fire up your web browser, and load Messenger.com.

You'll be greeted with a landing page where Facebook lets you know about its Messenger apps for mobile — but just sign in with your Facebook credentials.

And we're in! The first thing you might notice is the incredibly clean interface. You can chat with your friends — and nothing else.

At the same time, it has a lot of useful features.

facebook desktop messenger features skitched

And if you're sitting at your desk, it's so much easier to use than any messaging app on your smartphone.

It's very similar to the mobile Facebook Messenger app, adapted for desktop web browsers.

Facebook launched Messenger.com back in 2015. But almost no one seems to know it exists.

A H-2B rocket carrying cargo craft for the International Space Station (ISS) called "Kounotori No.5" blasts off from the launching pad at Tanegashima Space Center on the Japanese southwestern island of Tanegashima, Kagoshima prefecture, southwestern Japan, in this photo taken by Kyodo August 19, 2015. "Kounotori" which is Japanese for White stork lifted off with supplies for the International Space Station on Wednesday. The unmanned cargo craft is bringing food, hygiene items and spare parts to the ISS. Mandatory credit

I conducted an (admittedly unscientific) poll of my coworkers. None of them — including other tech journalists — knew it was a thing.

lisa kudrow pheobe friends shocked surprised

Facebook's best-kept secret is a second website that's amazing for talking to your friends

First, let's look at Facebook's main website. It has a huge amount of functionality, with photos, groups, news, statuses, and so on.

But what if you want to just message a friend? That's relegated to about a quarter of the screen. The rest is just irrelevant annoyances.

Luckily for you, Facebook has a little-known alternative.

Fire up your web browser, and load Messenger.com.

And we're in! The first thing you might notice is the incredibly clean interface. You can chat with your friends — and nothing else.

At the same time, it has a lot of useful features.

And if you're sitting at your desk, it's so much easier to use than any messaging app on your smartphone.

It's very similar to the mobile Facebook Messenger app, adapted for desktop web browsers.

Facebook launched Messenger.com back in 2015. But almost no one seems to know it exists.

I conducted an (admittedly unscientific) poll of my coworkers. None of them — including other tech journalists — knew it was a thing.

The site gets only a fraction of the overall Facebook audience.

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Facebook's best-kept secret is a second website that's amazing for talking to your friends

First, let's look at Facebook's main website. It has a huge amount of functionality, with photos, groups, news, statuses, and so on.

But what if you want to just message a friend? That's relegated to about a quarter of the screen. The rest is just irrelevant annoyances.

Luckily for you, Facebook has a little-known alternative.

Fire up your web browser, and load Messenger.com.

You'll be greeted with a landing page where Facebook lets you know about its Messenger apps for mobile — but just sign in with your Facebook credentials.

And we're in! The first thing you might notice is the incredibly clean interface. You can chat with your friends — and nothing else.

At the same time, it has a lot of useful features.

In plain white, it doesn't even look like Facebook — which could be a godsend in offices where the social network is banned.

And if you're sitting at your desk, it's so much easier to use than any messaging app on your smartphone.

It's very similar to the mobile Facebook Messenger app, adapted for desktop web browsers.

Facebook launched Messenger.com back in 2015. But almost no one seems to know it exists.

I conducted an (admittedly unscientific) poll of my coworkers. None of them — including other tech journalists — knew it was a thing.

The site gets only a fraction of the overall Facebook audience.

Head over to Messenger.com now to give it a try, and enjoy sending messages to your Facebook friends without any of the social network's clutter.

Feeling lazy? Here's a link »

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

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Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know

Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know