Messenger for PC and Mac

Software Reviews and Criticism

• By T. Nathan

  Not good enough

  If you're looking for a simple app for Messenger, this will suit you just fine for the most part. But under the surface, this app simply does not have enough developer support. I don't fault the developers themselves, but it is evident that Facebook does not consider this a product worth investing much time or money in at all. Bugs, performance issues (CPU and RAM leakage, etc.), all built on a subpar Electron platform. Even little things like the window styling are broken on PC Big Sur, when they had months to address this before it was released to the public. Simply put, the lack of polish conveys a lack of importance on Facebook's part, which is a huge shame. Casual use is fine, but if you're looking for an app for Messenger even close to as polished as Microsoft's own Messages app, look elsewhere.

  
  
• By Purpleshrub

  Kills the CPU on a Windows

  This app is just fine on mobile platforms. My brand new PC with 8GB of RAM was running the fan like crazy and couldn't even keep websites loaded. I checked the wifi, closed and reloaded tabs, did updates, etc. Nothing helped, and I was feeling like a I might have a serious problem. While I am pretty tech savvy in using the computer, I am not strong in the underlying workings of software and hardware. I did a little research online, which advised to check the Activity Monitor. Facebook Messenger was the top CPU process - 60% or something - with others nowhere close to that number. These were other programs with far more computing power - Google Chrome, MS word, iBooks, etc. I only had messenger open in the background. I uninstalled the app. Immediately, fans turned off and everything started working again. I did some more research and found out that many people were also having this problem in both Windows and Microsoft. This is a HUGE issue that Facebook needs to address before continuing to offer this app. It completely cripped a brand new computer just being open. That is unacceptable!

  
  
• By Samson Hman

  wish it had one little thing

  It' has some bug issues but since it's relatively new it's not a huge deal. I just appreciate the fact that facebook is doing their best to integrate the whole facebook experience to Microsoft eco system. I really wish they would make a facebook app for PC. Hate to say it but the facebook web browers is trash. It loads too much unnecessary things at once and even my latest 13" Pc has a problem keeping up. My main review is for messenger developer to make an extension for the app on system preference. I have a hard time sending photos though the app and I can't share it through the photo app itself. Wish they would make an extension for that.

  
  
• By Huhbbhhh

  Red lines of death

  Messenger is important to me. The problems it has are fixable. 1. I write in a foreign language and as my language is not supported I get red lines under everything I write. This is on no other Messenger platform that I know of. Just fixing this problem would make it a 4 star and a recommend for everyone in the world. 2. Active users. Facebook should know that people generally don't use the "who's active" window and it is annoying to work when something is constantly updating and re-rendering on the screen. I generally scroll down a bit just so I don't have to see this disturbance. These are people I never talk to and it seems weird to show this on the main screen of the application. 3. File-sharing. Why can't the file-sharing be like online. There are too many files types that are not supported. 4. Dropping files or images into the input field. It sometimes doesn't work for some reason. 5. Search. I'd like for the search to be structurally better. It is hard to find things. 6. Calling. When I end a call I have to manually close the window for the call. Why doesn't it close by itself when the call ends? I hope Facebook engineers get on this and make native apps great again!

  
  
• By kjdkjd

  Needs to allow pinning chats at the top

  This chat app is ... fine. I'm the right age for facebook, and all my peers are on it, so the network effect makes this more reliable than Whatsapp, Line, or iMessage. However, like with Whatsapp, my chat list is a mess and it's hard to find chats with important friends or family, which often tend to get buried and lost down the list, off screen. For some reason the app suggests people to chat with at the top, whom I *never* chat with, and this just wastes space and muddies up the GUI. I wish I could turn this off and/or replace it with a list of chats *I've* pinned there, on purpose. That would be much more useful.  There's a search bar to find who I'm looking for but that takes at least two clicks and some typing -- far too much trouble. My most important contacts should be visible, waiting for me.

  
  

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