Home Downloads Facebook Messenger for Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Fedora

Facebook Messenger for Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Fedora

by Kiran Kumar
Published: Updated:
Facebook messenger Linux

‘Messenger for Desktop’ is a dedicated application for Facebook Messenger. The app provides a neat and simple user interface to chat and make calls with your friends on Facebook.

The application is developed by independent developers not related to Facebook in any way. They use the Facebook API, which is encrypted, and so your chat and login sessions should be encrypted too.

The application’s user interface is neat and somewhat resembles Skype for Linux with the contacts on the left pane and the conversations on the right pane. Installation is simple, and I will give you a step-by-step guide in the second part of this article. After installation, you need to log in with your Facebook credentials. It has built-in thousands of stickers and lets you send photos and videos to your contacts. It supports voice mail and group chat. There are also several custom themes in place of native user interface if you want.

Facebook Messenger for Linux

Facebook Messenger for Linux


Install Facebook Messenger on Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Derivatives

Step 1: Download the application from this link. Make sure to see the Linux section where you can find 32-bit and 64-bit DEB files. Don’t download RPM binaries – they are for Fedora and derivatives.

Step 2: By default settings of your browser, the downloaded file should land in the ‘Downloads’ folder.

Step 3: Launch ‘Terminal’ and navigate to the ‘Downloads’ directory using the following command:

cd Downloads

Step 4: List the files in the directory.

ls

Step 5: Use the dpkg install command.

sudo dpkg -i Messenger_linux64.deb

If you have downloaded a 32-bit version, you should use that filename accordingly.

Installing Facebook Messenger in Linux Mint

Installing Facebook Messenger in Linux Mint

That’s it. You can now launch the program from the ‘Applications.’ Look for ‘Messenger.’ When you start it, the application may prompt you that there is a new version available and if you want to download it. But it is a beta version, so better to ignore it and click ‘Cancel.’


Install Facebook Messenger on Fedora, Mandriva, and Derivatives

Step 1: Download the application from this link. Make sure to see the Linux section where you can find 32-bit and 64-bit RPM files. Don’t download .deb files. They are for Debian based systems.

Step 2: By default settings of your browser, the downloaded file should land in the ‘Downloads’ folder.

Step 3: Launch ‘Terminal’ and navigate to the ‘Downloads’ directory using the following command:

cd Downloads

Step 4: List the files in the directory.

ls

Step 5: Login as Super User.

su

Step 6: Use the DNF command to install the RPM binary. If you are connected to the internet, it will download the dependencies. If you don’t want to go online, simply disconnect the internet to your PC, and it will straight away install the downloaded file.

Installing Facebook Messenger on Fedora 25

Installing Facebook Messenger on Fedora 25

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33 comments

Mateo October 7, 2018 - 12:43 AM

Open source? where’s the source?

Reply
Kiran Kumar March 23, 2019 - 9:57 PM

Yes, it is open-source. The links are updated.

Reply
Bič Boží February 9, 2019 - 1:56 PM

thank you very much. Good job. Works very well

Reply
Zyrac March 23, 2019 - 8:34 PM

Any LINUX source – only windoze & big mac? where is any Linux verison link on the website?

Reply
Kiran Kumar March 23, 2019 - 9:56 PM

Thanks for notification. The links are updated.

Reply
Spacehopper September 23, 2019 - 11:44 PM

Am I missing something here? messengerfordesktop-2.0.9-linux-x86_64.rpm installs something called messiggy which simply display a series of astronomical photos. How does that relate to Messenger? I just wasted 10 minutes of my time which I will never see again. Thanks!

Reply
Linda G Richard November 24, 2019 - 11:07 AM

HELP please? Just installed Ubuntu on my pc, love it! Anyway I am new to it. (Absolutely thrilled I did it alone, went well!) Anyway here below is what I got. How do I download the needed files, the ones its missing? I appreciate any help you can give me! I need messenger to stay in touch with family. (I live in a very remote area.)
TIA, Linda
——————————-
linda@ubuntu:~/Downloads$ sudo dpkg -i messengerfordesktop-2.0.9-linux-amd64.deb[sudo] password for linda:
(Reading database … 136037 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack messengerfordesktop-2.0.9-linux-amd64.deb …
Unpacking messengerfordesktop (2.0.9-171) over (2.0.9-171) …
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of messengerfordesktop:
messengerfordesktop depends on libappindicator1 | libappindicator | libappindicator-gtk3; however:
Package libappindicator is not installed.
Package libappindicator-gtk3 is not installed.
messengerfordesktop depends on python; however:

dpkg: error processing package messengerfordesktop (–install):
dependency problems – leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-11ubuntu1.1) …
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.23-1ubuntu3.18.04.2) …
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.60ubuntu1) …
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) …
Errors were encountered while processing:
messengerfordesktop

Reply
John April 16, 2021 - 8:34 PM

Run: sudo apt-get install -f to install all the missing dependencies 🙂

Reply
Linda G Richard November 24, 2019 - 12:07 PM

10 minutes?!? I’m on 90! But the app, is probably okay. I just somehow don’t seem to have GTK…..uuugghhhhh nothing is working, I even downloaded it
But to me the time is not wasted. I enjoy this stuff!!! 😀

Reply
Zak Snell March 10, 2020 - 11:28 PM

Looking for somewhere to notify developers that the darker themes seem to be missing to change the text field darker while making the text itself white. Makes proofreading your messages a bit tricky. Other than that, I’ve used it about 5-10 mins and it seems to do all I’d expect.

Reply
Rafael Mota April 20, 2020 - 9:19 PM

I’m having the same problem!

Reply
Brednan April 24, 2020 - 11:19 PM

I use Caprine from the snap store. Quick, easy, works out of the box. Looks the same as Facebook messenger too.

Reply
user3 June 4, 2020 - 7:26 AM

sorry, but after install i have:
(messengerfordesktop:80545): Pango-ERROR **: 13:25:26.301: Harfbuzz version too old (1.2.7)

any idea

Reply
Perun June 25, 2020 - 5:53 AM

same error here with Fedora 32 (incl. all updates)

Reply
Jason Chester June 9, 2020 - 1:29 PM

Didn’t work!!

Reply
Derek Harding July 14, 2020 - 8:47 PM

Yep – I get the harfbuzz error, too.

Reply
SANE MAMO July 17, 2020 - 4:20 PM

TY from serbia

work for me
System: Kernel: 5.4.0-40-generic i686 bits: 32 compiler: gcc v: 7.5.0
Desktop: Cinnamon 4.4.8 wm: muffin dm: LightDM Distro: Linux Mint 19.3 Tricia
base: Ubuntu 18.04 bionic

Reply
bill p November 16, 2020 - 10:28 PM

Worked until i upgraded from Ubuntu 18.04 to 20.04. Then i get the Harfbuzz error.

Reply
Josh December 10, 2020 - 10:56 AM

I too am receiving the Harfbuzz error. Running Linux Mint 20 here. Anyone have a workaround yet?

Reply
Eduardo Navas January 6, 2021 - 2:28 PM

Messenger for Desktop simple does not work.

Reply
Mike K February 19, 2021 - 10:00 AM

Use Caprine instead, this app is dead

Reply
lol February 27, 2021 - 6:37 PM

Why are you recommending unmaintained applications?

Reply
Wojciech Domalewski March 1, 2021 - 2:49 PM

It doesn’t work on Ubuntu 20.

Reply
Marko March 2, 2021 - 4:51 PM

Not working on Linux Mint 20.1.

Reply
Teagan Jeanne Andrews March 5, 2021 - 12:35 AM

A person can build themselves a relatively new electron browser just for facebook messenger and make a starter with icon on the desktop.

Reply
james March 27, 2021 - 2:36 PM

Hi Kiran,

It does not work on Ubuntu 20.04. It looks like it’s half-installed. I can see it on “Show Applications”, but I cannot see it “Ubuntu Software” Installed list. I want to uninstall it now, how do I do that? I tried doing it via Terminal “sudo apt remove program-name” but it didn’t work.

Reply
®γσ ξηg May 23, 2021 - 4:46 AM

installed but cannot launch… wondered why

Reply
jp May 26, 2021 - 4:05 AM

I can’t use it at linux, the problem is password

Reply
KALI USER November 27, 2021 - 4:29 AM

Doesn’t run on Linux Debian
If i execute messenger nothing happens …

Reply
MajkyyX December 15, 2021 - 12:08 PM

Happens this:

ERROR [2021-12-15 17:03:00.594] messengerfordesktop:browser:utils:prefs: Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open ‘/home//.config/Messenger for Desktop/prefs.json’
at Error (native)
at Object.fs.openSync (fs.js:640:18)
at Object.module.(anonymous function) [as openSync] (ELECTRON_ASAR.js:173:20)
at Object.fs.readFileSync (fs.js:508:33)
at Object.fs.readFileSync (ELECTRON_ASAR.js:506:29)
at Object.readFileSync (/opt/messengerfordesktop/resources/app.asar/node_modules/fs-extra-promise/node_modules/fs-extra/node_modules/jsonfile/index.js:66:20)
at ensureDataLoaded (/opt/messengerfordesktop/resources/app.asar/scripts/browser/utils/prefs.js:37:39)
at Object.get (/opt/messengerfordesktop/resources/app.asar/scripts/browser/utils/prefs.js:83:3)
at quitIfPrefEnabled (/opt/messengerfordesktop/resources/app.asar/scripts/browser/main.js:274:23)
at /opt/messengerfordesktop/resources/app.asar/scripts/browser/main.js:251:7
at Object. (/opt/messengerfordesktop/resources/app.asar/scripts/browser/main.js:260:3)
at Module._compile (module.js:556:32)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:565:10)
at Module.load (module.js:473:32)
at tryModuleLoad (module.js:432:12)

Reply
Mohammed El-Afifi August 7, 2022 - 6:59 PM

I have the exact same problem.

Reply
LukeGregor August 6, 2022 - 4:39 PM

TO DATE; is there anyone that has remedied the lack of these dependencies?
luke@E6540:~$ cd Downloads
luke@E6540:~/Downloads$ sudo dpkg -i messengerfordesktop-2.0.9-linux-amd64.deb
Selecting previously unselected package messengerfordesktop.
(Reading database … 340142 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack messengerfordesktop-2.0.9-linux-amd64.deb …
Unpacking messengerfordesktop (2.0.9-171) …
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of messengerfordesktop:
messengerfordesktop depends on libappindicator1 | libappindicator | libappindicator-gtk3; however:
Package libappindicator1 is not installed.
Package libappindicator is not installed.
Package libappindicator-gtk3 is not installed.
messengerfordesktop depends on gconf2; however:
Package gconf2 is not installed.
messengerfordesktop depends on gconf-service; however:
Package gconf-service is not installed.
messengerfordesktop depends on python; however:
Package python is not installed.
messengerfordesktop depends on gvfs-bin; however:
Package gvfs-bin is not installed.

dpkg: error processing package messengerfordesktop (–install):
dependency problems – leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.36.0-1ubuntu3) …
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.26+mint1+vanessa) …
Processing triggers for mailcap (3.70+nmu1ubuntu1) …
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) …
Errors were encountered while processing:
messengerfordesktop
luke@E6540:~/Downloads$
???????????
Any help would be much appreciated.
-Luke

Reply
Harry Fettes August 1, 2023 - 10:21 AM

do any of these utilities receive and post to the FB messenger app on other platforms I e. if I message someone from my phone will my message and their response be in the Linux messenger app?

Reply

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