How to Receive Facebook Messages On Your Cell Phone
By Daniel Quinlan
With a little configuration, you can have Facebook messages and notifications sent straight to your cellular devices. If you’re a smartphone user, apps are available to download that will send you push notification updates, while non-smartphone users can receive text message updates.
About Facebook Apps on Smartphones
IPhone, Android, Windows, and Blackberry device users can download two apps from their relevant app store to use the full functionality of both Facebook and Facebook Messenger. The Messenger app enables you to send/receive instant messages and supports general messaging on your phone, while the Facebook app allows you to browse profiles, post on friend’s Timeline, upload pictures, access your News Feed and more.
Enabling Push Notifications on Smartphones
Once each app is installed, ensure that Push Notifications are set up in order to receive alerts as they happen. Here's how:
- iPhone: Open "Settings," Notifications Center" and then "Facebook." Turn on “Show in Notification Center” and “Show on Lock Screen.”
- Android: Press the "Settings" button, then "Account Settings" and then "Notifications." Select "Mobile Push."
- Windows Phone: Push notifications are on automatically, but to turn them off on 8.1, select "Notification + Actions" from "Phone Settings."
Facebook Text - SMS Messaging for Non-Smartphones
If you do not have a smartphone, you still can receive updates to your mobile phone in the form of SMS messaging (note that standard test messaging fees apply). From your personal computer, select the “down arrow” icon located at the top right section of your Facebook page and then click "Settings," "Mobile," and "Add a Phone." Follow the prompt by filling in your country and carrier, and then click "Next."
Text the letter “F” with your phone to 32665, i.e. FBOOK (this number may vary depending on your country/carrier, so be sure to follow the on-screen instructions for this step). A confirmation code is texted back to your phone, which you can then enter into the field provided on the Facebook website. Enter the code and then click the "Next" button. You will receive a confirmation that the setup was successful.
Troubleshooting Facebook Text
If your profile has new notifications and you have not received a text, remove your number from Facebook Texts and repeat the steps above to sign up. If you are trying to text updates to Facebook and they’re not posting to your profile, you should ensure that you are texting the correct number, that no signature lines are included within your text, and that your cell provider plan still includes SMS messaging.
References
- Zephoria: The Top 20 Valuable Facebook Statistics – Updated February 2015
- The New York Times: Facebook Requires Users to Install Separate Messaging App
- Facebook.com Help: Facebook for iPhone
- Facebook.com Help: “How do you disable Facebook notifications in Windows Phone 8?”
- Facebook.com Help: Facebook Texts
Writer Bio
Since 2011, Daniel Quinlan's writing experience has covered a range of technical topics. While working in the digital forensics space, he simplified forensic findings of Window's operating systems for non-technical audiences through case reports and in-person presentations. Quinlan's work in the medical consulting field is also notable, since he began his work in 2013 writing and presenting software enhancements to hospital Electronic Medical Records (EMR) for physicians and nurses. Quinlan holds a bachelor's degree in Science (Physics, Philosophy) from the University of Notre Dame.