This article has been re-published with prior permission of MakeUseOf.

By: Dan Price

Ever wondered what all of the dissimilar Facebook Messenger icons and symbols mean? They can exist pretty disruptive.

Nosotros've researched the almost mutual icons and symbols on Facebook Messenger to observe out what they hateful and what purpose they serve. Here'south everything you need to know.

Facebook Messenger Icon: Open up Blueish Circle

OpenBlue icon facebook messenger

The open up blue circle means that your bulletin is currently sending.

It's best if you don't navigate away from the bulletin while the open blue circle is nowadays as you may risk losing your bulletin if you get out before it is fully sent.

Facebook Messenger Icon: Open Bluish Circumvolve + Bank check

OpenCheck icon facebook messenger

The open blue circle with a bank check mark means that your message has been sent.

At this bespeak, yous should be able to navigate away from the message without whatsoever worries, just the person yous are sending the message to may not be able to see information technology yet.

Facebook Messenger Icon: Filled Blue Circumvolve + Check

FillBlue icon facebook messenger

A filled blue circle with a check mark means that your message has been delivered.

While the person may not accept seen your message yet, y'all can exist confident that it'll be available to them whenever they next bank check their phone, tablet, or computer!

Facebook Messenger Icon: Crimson Triangle + Exclamation

NotSent icon facebook messenger

A red triangle with an exclamation bespeak should but announced if your message is not sent due to an internet connection outage.

A message should appear alongside the red triangle that says"This bulletin didn't send. Check your internet connection and click to try again." Avoid navigating away from the page until your internet connection is working, or save a copy of your bulletin offline to ensure your information is not lost.

How to Know If Someone Saw Your Facebook Bulletin

If someone has seen your Facebook message on the Messenger app, a pocket-sized, round version of their profile picture show should announced underneath the last message they read.

You lot'll also encounter the discussion"Seen" displayed under a message that has been read, along with a timestamp to allow you know when the recipient opened it.

How to Hide That You lot've Read a Facebook Message

Facebook has a feature that allows y'all to marker letters as unread, which has led many people to think that they can read a message without the sender knowing it has been read. Unfortunately, Facebook'sMarking as Unread pick is just an inbox sorting tool and won't retract the read receipt.

At this point, aside from using third-party add-ons in browsers, the only way to avoid someone knowing you've seen their message is to not open it.

Can Strangers Send Y'all Messages on Facebook?

Facebook has too made changes to the mode that strangers tin send y'all a message. Now, if someone you don't know wants to contact you, 3 things will happen:

  1. You lot will receive a notification that you have a message request.
  2. You will have the option to eitherIgnore orHave the message later on reading it.
  3. A notification will remain on Messenger to let y'all know that you are not friends with the other person in the message.

What Is a Message Request?

A message request is a notification that you lot receive if someone you are not friends with sends you a message on Facebook.

This is an update from a previous version of Facebook Messenger where messages from non-friends would be sorted into the Other folder in your Messenger inbox.

How to Delete Facebook Letters

There are 4 different means to hibernate or delete messages on Facebook:

  1. Archiving a conversation volition move it out of your Inbox and into theArchived binder. The action is reversible.
  2. Deletinga conversation will delete every message e'er sent from your inbox, simply not from the other person's inbox. This is non-reversible.
  3. Deleting Messages volition permit you to select specific messages to permanently delete from your inbox, merely non from the other person's inbox.
  4. Blocking Messages will prevent another person in the conversation from sending you whatsoever farther messages. This action is reversible.

Information technology'southward also important to know that you can appear invisible on Facebook or block someone from sending y'all letters without blocking them completely—a great workaround for awkward social media situations!

How to Use Messenger Without Facebook

Yep! While Messenger was originally intended for use on the Facebook platform itself, information technology tin can at present operate independently from Facebook equally long equally you provide the app with your mobile phone number.

What Tin can Y'all Add together to Your Facebook Messages?

Facebook has added a ton of features that allow yous to make your Messenger conversations dynamic and interactive. There are lots of Messenger addition apps that enable you to do annihilation from singing your friends a song to adding stickers to your selfies.

If you don't want to download external apps, Facebook Messenger has GIFs, stickers, and voice recording features that tin can help yous dazzle your message's recipients.

Facebook Messenger Alternatives

Although lots of users accept taken issue with Messenger'due south permission requirements, information technology remains one of the virtually-used messaging apps around. At the last count, it had over 1.3 billion active monthly users; you'll most always be able to contact the person y'all desire to talk.

Still, if y'all don't like Facebook and its products, remember that Messenger is just one of many instant messaging apps available. Check out some of the alternatives if you're looking for something fresh.