How to See Messages in the Facebook App Without Downloading Messenger

Good news, Facebook Messenger haters— there’s a way to keep your messages in the main app without downloading Messenger.

Facebook began moving messages out of the main app last week, but as it turns out, there’s a surprisingly simple workaround that allows you to keep chatting without the extra app.

When trying to access messages from within the main Facebook app, you now get an alert saying that messages have moved to the Messenger app, as well as a prompt to download the new app from Apple’s App Store or Google Play.

To use this trick, go ahead and select “Install Messenger,” which then directs you to the App Store or Google Play. Begin downloading the app, but stop the download before it finishes installing. Now, when you go back to the main Facebook app, messages are once again displayed in the messages tab. The workaround — first spotted by The Guardian — works with both the iPhone and Android apps (messages are still accessible via Facebook’s iPad app).

Of course, there’s a chance Facebook may update its apps to close this loophole, so the workaround may not be effective for long. Your other option, aside from jailbreaking your phone, is to use the mobile-web version of Facebook instead of the app.

Not all of Facebook’s mobile users have been forced to download Messenger, yet; the company previously confirmed it would take several weeks for the change to roll out to all users.

SOURCE: MASHABLE