Facebook Messenger Symbols: What Do They Mean?

The Debrief: So WTF do all the Facebook messenger symbols actually mean? Here’s your cut-out-and-keep guide.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that in order to use Facebook Messenger on your phone or tablet, you have to download a entire separate app, we also have these fresh Facebook Messenger symbols to contend with. We like plainness here at The Debrief so we’ll get straight to the point with a breakdown of what all the symbols on Facebook Messenger mean. You are so welcome.

To check the status of your sent messages on Facebook Messenger, there are four symbols you need to know about.

Facebook Messenger symbols

What does a tick on facebook message mean?

(i) Your message is sending

This blue outline circle depicts that your message is still attempting to leave your phone.

(ii) Your message has been sent

The blue outline circle with a blue tick in it means that the message has left you and is pending receipt from the other party.

(iii) Your message has been delivered

The accomplish blue circle with a white tick in it means that the message has arrived to its destination but you don’t know if it has been seen by the recipient.

(iv) Your message has been seen

When your friend’s petite round profile picture shows up next to the message, you have proof that your message has been read/seen by your Facebook friend, so you can now embark to get the hump if they take their sweet caboose time messaging you back.

Note: These icons are blue when you are actually in a particular Facebook talk. When looking at these icons from your friends list, these sybols will show up grey.

Two. Facebook Messenger Symbols: Friends List

The entire purpose of Facebook Messenger is to rival messaging services such as Viber, Whatsapp, iMessage or even SMS text messaging so that your message will get to the other party’s phone instantly. This won’t work if your friends don’t have Facebook Messenger installed on their phone or tablet. You can see which of your Facebook friends have installed and use Facebook Messenger by clicking the "Active" tab at the top of your friends list.

(v) This person uses facebook messenger

This symbol shows that this Facebook friend has Facebook Messenger so they should see your message instantly (unless they are busy or something and are not with their phone. We all have that one annoying friend).

(vi) This person does not have facebook messenger

This friend can only send and receive messages on Facebook via the good old traditional Facebook Talk option, BUT all of the above “Facebook Messenger Symbols: Messages” icons still apply here.

Trio. Facebook messenger icons: What do they mean?

You know those icons at the bottom of your Facebook messenger app? This is what they all mean. The ‘home’ button means exactly that, it’s the home hub for messenger. You’ll be able to see your top three conversations, and who is active now on Facebook.

The call button will direct you to Facebook messenger calls – we strongly suggest you don’t use this when not connected to wifi because goodbye data.

The groups button is where all those annoying (but totally necessary) group talks live

‘People’ is basically all the people you’re friends with on Facebook who have, and use Facebook messenger. You can also see your message requests here and invite people to messenger.

And last, the ‘Me’ icon is like a Facebook messenger profile, for (yep you’ve guessed it) you. You can see your username, your number, turn off your notifications and report problems.

Four. Facebook Messenger Emojis meanings

Emojis on Facebook messenger are vast and varied and work the same way as regular Emojis which you should be familiar with, unless you live under a rock, in which case, (a) come out of that rock, (b) get up to date on Emojis.

Facebook have indeed upped their emoticon game, and in addition to the regular Emojis (which have been given a dose of steroids and have amped in size), they have given us endless joy in the form of Snoopy, Minions and Tuzki Rabbit Emoji packages to name but a few.

Just click on the emoticon tab (the blue smiley face) to see what’s already available, and download fresh Emoji packages from the Sticker Store (shopping basket icon, bottom left) as you please.

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