How to PM on Facebook

This article explains how to private message (PM) someone on Facebook on your computer or your phone/tablet.

How Do You Private Message Someone on Facebook?

There are several ways to initiate a direct message, and they all lead to the same place: a conversation box, where you can have a back-and-forth exchange, in private, with the other user.

PM From a Profile

Every profile page has a Message button that will, when clicked, open a window where you can send and receive messages with that person.

1. Open the friend's profile you want to message.

   There are multiple ways to do this, but for this demonstration, we'll use the Friends tab to find them, and then select their name from the list.

2. Once you're on their profile, select Message under their cover photo.

3. A message box will appear at the bottom of the page. This is where you can write back and forth, share photos and GIFs, etc.

Click the 'New Message' Button at the Bottom

On essentially every Facebook page is a button found on the bottom right. Click it, choose someone, and start to compose a new message or open a previous conversation you've already started.

1. Click the new message button.

2. Start typing a name, and then click the person you want to message.

   Listed in these results are first any friends with that name, followed by people you follow on Instagram, friends of friends, and then finally more people on Instagram and brands/celebrities/etc.

3. The search results will transform to a text box with all your options for private messaging the recipient.

Use the Messenger Service

If you're looking for a way to send a message without all the extra stuff Facebook bombards you with, there's a dedicated website made specifically for private messages: Facebook Messenger.

Messenger is owned by Facebook and connects to your Facebook account. You can access that page from a desktop browser to see all the same messages you've sent and received on Facebook, and to compose brand-new messages.

Here's how to compose a new message on Messenger:

1. Go to the Messenger website, and select the new button at the top of the page.

2. Start typing someone's name, and then click their entry when you see who you want to message. This can be someone you're already friends with on Facebook, or the name of a mutual friend.

   Not everyone available through Facebook is listed here when you search their name. Learn how to find someone on Facebook for more thorough results if you don't see them listed here. Then add them as a friend or use the Message button on their profile to PM them.

3. Use the text box at the bottom of the new message window to send text messages. The menus to the left and right of that box are for exchanging money with Facebook friends, sending stickers and files, and more.

How to PM on Facebook for iPhone or Android

Lots of people use Facebook from their mobile device, so sending private messages to people on Facebook when on the go would be really handy. While this is completely doable, you just can't do it in the Facebook app.

Instead, if you do select the message button when on Facebook, you'll be redirected to the Messenger app:

1. After opening the app, tap one of these areas, depending on what makes sense:

   • Tap Search to find someone by their name.
   • Tap a profile image from the scrollable menu to chat with a recommended friend.
   • Tap an existing conversation to jump in there.
   • Tap the pencil icon to see suggested friends to message, and people you follow on Instagram. You can also group chat with Messenger by choosing Create a group chat on this screen.
   • Tap the People tab for a list of Facebook friends currently active on Messenger.
   How to Add Anyone to Facebook Messenger

   You can also PM someone by starting in the Facebook app, you just won't stay there to do the messaging. For example, tap Message on someone's profile to automatically open a message with them in Messenger.

2. Once you've narrowed in on who to PM, you'll have a similar interface to the desktop version of Messenger. Send your location, pay or request money, share media files or a voice message, type regular text, etc.

   Vanish mode is another way to PM someone, but it's different from a normal conversation because it uses end-to-end encryption and makes chats automatically disappear once they've been seen. Drag up from the bottom of the conversation to access Vanish mode.