Facebook Messenger, Chat and Notification Client For Windows

First information about Facebook’s plan to release their own instant messaging program appeared on a Facebook support page about a month ago. Facebook Messenger for Windows, according to that page, offers chat, messaging and notification functionality. The program was initially only available to a group of alpha testers.

A direct link to Facebook’s Messenger has now been posted on the Windows Club website. Windows users who install the client on their system need to connect the program with a Facebook account before they can use its functionality.

A click on log in opens the Facebook website in the default browser. Here it is then necessary to log in, the client will automatically recognize the log in. Facebook notes that users need to enable the “keep me logged in” feature if they want to use the messenger after closing the browser.

Facebook Messenger looks like a bare bones version of Firefox. Users see three icons at top which indicate friend requests, messages and notifications. Facebook Ticker information and contacts are displayed below.

Chats open in a new window that is using a tabbed interface to separate different chats. The program is bare bones otherwise at the moment. The only other options provided are displayed in the system tray icon’s right-click context menu. Here it is possible to dock the Facebook Messenger window to the right of the screen, and to turn off sound notifications.

Facebook Messenger did not work on a 64-bit version of Windows 7. The client worked fine on the other hand on a 32-bit version of Windows. It is not clear if the software is only compatible with 32-bit versions of Windows, or if a setting on the 64-bit test system caused the incompatibility. The player opened fine, but log in was not recognized on the 64-bit system.

Facebook users who use Windows as their operating system can download the messenger from this link.

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Author: Martin Brinkmann, Saturday December 24, 2011 -
Tags:facebook, facebook chat, instant messenger

Responses so far:

1. Paul(us) says:

   December 24, 2011 at 4:19 pm

   It will be quit a laugh (total letdown) if there would be no 64 bit version.

   Reply
2. Not Sure says:

   December 24, 2011 at 4:25 pm

   Will it utilize either xmpp’s ssl connection (instead of the plaintext auth currently), or at least does the login/chat go through an https channel?

   Reply
3. Mirsch says:

   December 24, 2011 at 11:54 pm

   I’m using Win7 64-bit Pro and the Messenger works without any problems, maybe they changed something.

   Reply
4. rick says:

   December 25, 2011 at 12:31 am

   Yeah – no problems on my W7 x64 install / use….bizarre that they make you login via the webpage rather than the messenger app…

   Reply
   • rick says:

     December 25, 2011 at 12:34 am

     Also interesting: no special icon on taskbar – just the standard windows unrecoginzed app icon. And not sure about working….I’ve sent a few messages and no replies yet.

     Reply
5. Byron says:

   December 25, 2011 at 4:23 am

   I was one of the people who got a notification to install this alpha messenger a few weeks ago. I must say I use it a lot. It’s been working great for me, having the app docked to the right side of my screen.

   Reply
6. JMGG says:

   December 27, 2011 at 6:39 am

   I don’t see the point of using this. I barely talk to people on only one IM service at a time, usually a combination of Gmail, MSN and Facebook. And if the web UI for Facebook chat is anything to go by, this program will glitch just as often.

   Reply
7. bill says:

   March 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm

   I’m using 64 bit Win7. It works, but Firefox started to crash. I don’t know if it’s actually working or just giving me the screen without really updating.

   Reply
8. samuel ndungu says:

   April 1, 2012 at 9:02 pm

   Thanks alot, and can i get a job there pleas

   Reply
9. samuel ndungu says:

   April 1, 2012 at 9:03 pm

   thanks alot, and can i get a job there please

   Reply