Facebook Messenger Lite: what is it, how to get it

Martin Brinkmann
Oct 4, 2016
Updated • Jan 4, 2018
Companies, Facebook
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11

Facebook Messenger Lite can best be described as a basic version of Facebook Messenger that is optimized for slower Internet connections.

Facebook announced Messenger Lite a couple of days ago advertising it as a slimmed down version of Messenger size-wise, and optimized for slow Internet connections.

With Messenger Lite, more people can stay in contact, regardless of network conditions or storage limitations on their Android devices. Messenger Lite was built to give people a great Messenger experience, no matter what technology they use or have access to.

Messenger Lite supports all core features that you may know already from Messenger. You may use it to read and reply to messages, compose new messages, browse the list of contacts, and use it to send text, photos or links to anyone using either Messenger or Messenger Lite.

It is in this regard similar to Facebook Lite, a light version of the main Facebook application.

Facebook Messenger Lite

facebook messenger lite

All your Facebook messages are displayed in Facebook Messenger Lite when you start it up. Here are the most important information regarding functionality, differences to Messenger and availability.

  • Logo is a white chat bubble with a blue bolt. Messenger uses a blue chat bubble with a white bolt.
  • Functionality includes: messaging, sending and receiving photos and links, and receiving stickers.
  • Facebook Messenger Lite is only available in Kenya, Tunisia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela.

How to get Facebook Messenger Lite if you live elsewhere

Facebook Messenger Lite is only available for download if you live in one of the countries that are supported by the application.

While you cannot use Google Play to download Messenger Lite to your device, you may sideload the application instead if you want to use it.

  1. Head over to APK Mirror with your Android mobile and click on the "download apk" button on the site.

This downloads the Android application file to the device. Depending on how the device is set up, all you may need to do is tap on the downloaded file to start the installation process. This works only if you have enabled the installation of apps from sources other than Play Store (also known as unknown sources).

How you enable that depends largely on your device and Android version. Most of the time, you simply open the Settings and there the Security preferences listing. Locate unknown sources there and enable the feature.

Tip: You can turn it off again after you have installed Facebook Messenger Lite to turn the feature off again.

The installation process depends on the device and Android version as well. You may get a warning that you are trying to install an application that did not come from Play Store. Permissions will be displayed to you as well which you can check out before hitting install.

Facebook Messenger will install fine even if you don't live in one of the regions that it has been rolled out to by Facebook.

The main benefit of running the lite version of Messenger is that it is lighter on network traffic. It is unclear right now if it will also be beneficial to battery live of the device.

Now Read: How to access messages on the Facebook website using mobiles

Summary
Facebook Messenger Lite: what is it, how to get it
Article Name
Facebook Messenger Lite: what is it, how to get it
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Facebook Messenger Lite can best be described as a basic version of Facebook Messenger that is optimized for slower Internet connections.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. TelV said on March 26, 2018 at 8:14 pm
    Reply

    A BBC News reporter also discovered the same thing today. His private phone number has also been logged by at least 50 advertisers.

    Story here: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43539881

  2. TelV said on March 26, 2018 at 7:06 pm
    Reply

    Interesting message on Twitter today concerning a discovery a user made that his entire call history has been recorded by Facebook Messenger: https://twitter.com/dylanmckaynz/status/976368845635035138

    The list of tweets contains a link to a Ruby script he wrote to download and print the entire file.

  3. Jacob said on October 6, 2016 at 1:09 pm
    Reply

    In this state, this app is crap as well. It’s running permanently in the background and doesn’t have GCM Push messages. Which means Greenify is out if you want notifications.
    So lite refers to “less to download” and not “doesn’t consume much battery”

  4. Maelish said on October 5, 2016 at 3:35 pm
    Reply

    Does this have any real advantages over using Pidgin’s facebook plugin?

  5. Wayfarer said on October 5, 2016 at 1:21 pm
    Reply

    Lost count of the times I’ve bowed to family/friend pressure and (re)installed Messenger, only to (re)uninstall it a few days later. Talk about using a sledgehammer to crack an egg! This application should involve about 1/10 of the resources it uses. As it is, I’m convinced that 90% of the code is there for Facebook’s benefit and not the users’. The old old story that if an online service is free, then….

    Messenger Lite sounds promising – but I’ll only be interested if it really has shed 90% of the bloat.

  6. T J said on October 5, 2016 at 9:47 am
    Reply

    Martin, after your two blogs about Facebook, I noticed in your Otter browser screen grabs that, in the content blocking list, there is an “Anti-Facebook List” . That sounds like a good idea ! :)

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on October 5, 2016 at 10:52 am
      Reply

      Yeah there are a couple of anti-social lists available that block all these social connections.

  7. judylyn lobendino said on October 5, 2016 at 9:02 am
    Reply

    I need a facebook messenger lite

  8. Q said on October 5, 2016 at 12:17 am
    Reply

    It appears that other countries than those listed in this article (maybe app not truly country limited) also have access to Facebook’s Messenger Lite app.

    The App is available on Google Play:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.facebook.mlite

  9. Anonymous said on October 4, 2016 at 10:43 pm
    Reply

    I am glad that at least Facebook realizes that their application is bloated.

    IRC chat room are more powerful than these nifty apps.

  10. Paul(us) said on October 4, 2016 at 10:06 pm
    Reply

    Crazy to see yourself (myself) on your page! It feels like Its not me and a little bit or i am back in time!
    Next to that a light version is almost always better! Especially when you considering the still reasonable small amount of (RAM) work memory available on all kind of phones, palm hand helds or (think Stanly Kubrick – 2001 from 1968) mini tablets. Loving you article like always Martin.

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