How does Facebook Messenger for Firefox work?
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- Revision id: 33588
- Created:
- Creator: Michael Verdi
- Comment: Wording changes for accuracy, remove like button, use shorter name "messenger for firefox" when possible, only documenting the landing page method of turning on necessary
- Reviewed: Yes
- Reviewed:
- Reviewed by: Verdi
- Is approved? Yes
- Is current revision? No
- Ready for localization: Yes
- Readied for localization:
- Readied for localization by: Verdi
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Messenger for Firefox lets you use Facebook in a sidebar so there's no need to switch between tabs. The ticker and chat stay put as you browse around the web. Of course, when you need to focus, you can also hide it away.
Table of Contents
Turn on Messenger for Firefox
In order to use Messenger for Firefox you'll need the latest Firefox Beta (download it here) and a Facebook account. Then follow these steps to turn the feature on:
- Log into your Facebook account at facebook.com
- Visit facebook.com/about/messenger-for-firefox
- Click the green button. The messenger sidebar will open and confirmation message will be shown.
- Click in the confirmation message to turn the feature on.
How to use Messenger for Firefox
Messenger for Firefox allows you to keep up with friends wherever you go on the web.
View your notifications, friend requests and messages
When you enable Messenger for Firefox you'll get four buttons added to the right side of the navigation toolbar:
- Facebook button: Click to access your Facebook profile, show or hide the sidebar and show or hide desktop notifications.
- The Messages, Friends and Notifications buttons work just like the ones on Facebook. Click them to see your recent friend requests, messages and notifications.
View and reply to posts
- If the ticker is active on your Facebook account it will show up in the sidebar. Just mouse over the entries to see details, play videos, like, comment and share.
Chat with friends
- Just click on a friend's name in the chat section of the sidebar to send them a message. Messages you send will become part of your ongoing conversation on Facebook.
- If you don't see the person you want in the list, you can use the search field at the bottom to find them.
You can log out of chat by clicking the gear menu in the bottom right-hand corner and selecting
.Messenger for Firefox and your privacy
The same preferences you’ve set in your privacy settings on facebook.com apply when you’re using Messenger for Firefox. Enabling this feature doesn't change what Facebook can see about your online behavior.
Turn off Messenger for Firefox
Got to get some work done? Here's how to temporarily turn things off.
Show or hide the sidebar
- Click the
With the sidebar off, you will still see friend requests, messages and notifications.
Log in or out of Messenger for Firefox
- With the sidebar open, click the gear menu in the botton right-hand corner and select
- To log back in, open the sidebar if it's not already open and click the button. A tab with the Facebook login screen will open. Once you log in there the sidebar will fill in with the ticker and chat sections.
Completely disable Messenger for Firefox
If you'd rather not use Messenger for Firefox you can completely disable it with these steps:
- At the top of the Firefox window, click the menu and select . The sidebar will close and the buttons will be removed from your toolbar.
- Press the Alt key to temporarily display the menu bar.
- At the top of the Firefox window, click the menu and select . The sidebar will close and the buttons will be removed from your toolbar.
- On the menu bar, click the menu and select . The sidebar will close and the buttons will be removed from your toolbar.