Facebook Messenger Symbols and Icons: A Guide

The various icons and symbols used throughout Facebook Messenger can be puzzling. So, what exactly do they all represent? In this blog article, we’ll explain what all the Facebook Messenger icons and symbols signify.

Strong communication between you and your customers is critical, which is why it’s important to recognise that customer communication preferences are shifting. For example, 89 percent of customers prefer to communicate with firms via messaging apps. Millennials are 2x more likely to be loyal to companies that enable communication on social media or messaging apps.

If you have a Facebook Business Page, you already have the tools you need to begin communicating with clients via Messenger. Some of the icons and symbols on Messenger’s UI may be unfamiliar until you’ve set it up for your business. This article will explain what the numerous Facebook Messenger icons mean.

Facebook Messenger symbols and icons: What do they mean?

We looked into the most commonly encountered icons and symbols on Facebook Messenger to see what they mean. Everything you need to know is below. The image you see above is a quick overview.

Facebook Messenger symbol: The open blue circle

Your message is in the process of being sent if the blue circle is open. If you see this symbol, you should wait until the message has completed sending before moving on.

Facebook Messenger icon: Open blue circle with checkmark

When you see an open blue circle with a checkmark next to your message in your conversation, this means that your message has been delivered. However, the person you sent the message to may not be able to see it yet. In this case, you can navigate away from the message without worrying.

Facebook Messenger symbol: Filled blue circle with checkmark

Your message was successfully delivered to the other person when you see a filled blue circle with a checkmark. You can be assured that the message has arrived on their device, but you can’t guarantee that they have read it.

Facebook Messenger icon: Red triangle with exclamation point

If your message isn’t sent due to an internet connection issue, a red triangle with an exclamation point should appear. It’s one of the least common Facebook Messenger Symbols.

To guarantee that your information is not lost, avoid leaving the page until your internet connection is restored, or save a duplicate of your message offline.

How to know if someone read your Facebook message: The profile picture icon

If someone reads your Facebook message, a small, circular version of their profile image should appear beneath the most recent message they viewed.

A message that has been read will also have the term “Seen” next to it, as well as a timestamp indicating when the recipient opened it.

Frequently Asked Questions about Facebook Messenger

I know, I know… You came here to read about Facebook Messenger Symbols. But I like to go above and beyond. Here are a few quick answers to some frequently asked questions.

How to delete a facebook message

Depending on what you want to do, there are four possible ways to hide or remove messages on Facebook Messenger:

Deleting, or ‘Unsending’ a message will allow you to permanently delete certain messages from your inbox (and, if desired, the other person’s inbox).
When you delete a discussion, it removes all messages sent from your inbox but not from the other person’s. This is a non-reversible action.
When you archive a discussion, it will be moved from your Inbox to the Archived folder. The action can be reversed.
Blocking Messages prevents the sender from sending you any more messages in the conversation. This is a reversible action.

How to make it seem like you haven't read a Facebook message

Many people believe that because Facebook has a function that allows you to set messages as unread, they can read a message without the sender knowing. Regrettably, Facebook’s ‘Mark as Unread’ feature is merely an inbox sorting tool that does not retract the read receipt.

Apart from third-party browser add-ons, the only option to keep someone from knowing you’ve read their message is to ignore it.

How to add things to a Facebook message

Facebook has added plenty of new features to Messenger that make conversations more dynamic and interactive. There are also numerous Messenger add-on apps that allow you to do everything from leaving a voice note to adding stickers to your selfies.

If you don’t want to download any more apps, Facebook Messenger allows you to take and send photo’s, attach images, and send GIFs and stickers. You can also send voice notes if you don’t feel like typing.

You will find these features at the bottom of your chat screen, next to the text box.

Talk to your customers where they are most active

If given the choice between the two, more than half of consumers today would prefer text a company for customer service than speak over the phone. Given how much we all despise being on hold, this would appear to be a given. However, certain demographics have a higher demand for convenience. Millennials, for example, prefer to communicate about appointments, deliveries, and discounts by text, according to Forbes.

Modern lets your clients to engage with you via Facebook Messenger while consolidating all of your incoming messages into a single inbox. Webchat communications, Google’s ‘click-to-message’ messages, and Facebook Messenger messages are all collected in one spot. If you’re tired of switching platforms, consider how Modern’s suite of communications tools can help your business grow.

I hope this article gave you a good understanding of the various Facebook Messenger symbols, and what they mean.