In 2023, Meta discontinued FB Messenger support for the Apple Watch. The reasons were unclear, but the lack of use may be one of them. Still, some people may wish to use Facebook Messenger on Apple Watch and wonder if there are any workarounds. This post will answer that question.
For businesses and individuals looking to enhance their interaction on Facebook further, understanding how to effectively buy Facebook reactions can significantly boost the visibility and engagement of your posts. We’ll explore the seamless integration of Facebook Messenger on your Apple Watch, ensuring you maximize convenience and stay connected effortlessly.
More About Messenger Being Discontinued on Apple Watch
Starting in May 2023, those who had Messenger synced to their Apple Watch could receive messages but couldn’t respond. Instead, they were told to answer messages on other platforms. For many Apple Watch users, this was disappointing. In recent years, Apple has started focusing on health and fitness, not social media, for their watches. Another speculative reason for why Messenger was discontinued was because of Apple’s data policies. Meta cannot harvest data from an Apple Watch; thus, there is less profit. However, these reasons are all speculation; no one truly knows why this app was removed.
Can I Still Use Messenger on my Apple Watch?
Some alternatives exist if you still want to message people on Apple Watch. Let’s look at some of them.
Download a Third-Party App
While Meta no longer supports Messenger on Apple Watch, third-party apps allow you to use it. One example is WatchMessage for Messenger. To use it, you only need to download the app and log in to your Messenger account.
One downside to this app, however, is that it is subscription-based. Once the free trial ends, you have to pay up. However, the subscription is only $2.99 a year. If you message people a lot on your Apple Watch, this is a very small price to pay, and it keeps the lights on for the app developers. Some people may wish to pay a one-time-only fee, but there is none as of this posting. With that said, the app is constantly updated to provide a better user experience.
However, this app does not work for everyone. Some users have reported difficulties logging in and other issues. But it’s worth trying it to see if it works for you. There is a free trial, so you can use it risk-free before paying.
Migrate to Messages
While Messenger does not work, Apple’s Messages app does. You can ask your most vital contacts for their phone numbers through Messenger and then message them there. Since it’s Apple’s messaging system, we do not see this changing in the future.
Can it Wait?
If you receive a message on Messenger, can you respond to it when you can access your phone, computer, tablet, etc.? You may be better off doing this if you don’t want to pay for WatchMessage and cannot get your contacts on the Messages app. Just give people a heads-up if it’s a time-sensitive conversation.
Will Messenger Ever Come Back to the Apple Watch?
Time will tell if Facebook Messenger returns to Apple Watch. Currently, there are no plans to bring the app back, but if there is enough demand, it is a possibility. Apple Watches are more niche than a phone or computer, so that may be why there may not be a return. But time will tell. Stranger things have happened in the Apple world.
As of this posting, the only reliable way is to download WatchMessage, a third-party app. It should let you use Messenger on your watch for a small yearly fee. However, if you do not want to pay the cost, we recommend contacting people through Messages or waiting to respond via phone. There are other ways to contact people through Apple Watch.
Again, the removal of Messenger is disappointing to some, and we don’t know precisely why it was removed. But there are some workarounds. We hope this article was helpful to you.
