How to maintain your privacy on Facebook Messenger

Talking to someone on Facebook Messenger has its share of pros and cons. On the upside, you don't have to share your number with the person you are talking, so it suits those who are bothered about their privacy. On the flip side, there will be those who don't like the fact that the sender gets to know when their messages are read on Facebook Messenger. There will be people who like this, but there will also be those who won't. In case you are among the latter, and feel compelled to reply immediately even in situations when it's not practical, we have some help to offer. There is hack which lets you do this.

The best and the most effective way to do this is to stop the app from dealing with the internet. And you can do this by switching the Airplane Mode on. So whenever you receive a message on Facebook Messenger and you don't want the sender to know that you have read it, switch on the Airplane Mode in your smartphone.

On Android or iPhone

If you have an Android smartphone, just drag down the top bar in your phone to look at the settings. Press on the Airplane icon there to activate Flight mode. If you don't find the icon in the drop down menu, you will find the option in the Settings of your smartphone.

And in case you use an iPhone, just drag up the Settings from the bottom of your phone's screen and press on the Airplane icon.

Once the Flight mode is on in your phone, you can go to Facebook Messenger, read the message and then switch the Flight mode off. The sender wouldn't get to know that you have read the message.

On Chrome

If you use Chrome, you'll be aware that there are a number of apps that can make user experience better. Open a new Chrome tab and click on the colourful square grid on the upper left hand corner called Apps. This will open the menu of from where you can access Docs, Gmail, YouTube, Web Store, etc. Select Web Store and search for Unseen for Facebook.

This app automatically block read receipts on Facebook Messenger. Click on Add to Chrome button to install the extension. After the extension is installed, you'll see a blue circular icon on the right of your Search bar on the top. Click on it and select the options you find suitable for your Messenger experience.