How to Use Secret Conversations in Facebook Messenger

After WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, Facebook Messenger joins the club of putting user privacy and security first. Facebook Messenger offers a Secret conversation feature to enable end-to-end encryption for your chats so that no one can intercept and read them. Here’s how you can use Secret conversations in Facebook Messenger.

While using the secret conversations in Messenger, the messages between you and the recipient stay secure with end-to-end encryption. Not even Facebook can see those messages. Here’s how to use the Secret Conversations in Facebook Mesenger.

Use Secret Conversations in Facebook Messenger

There are several reasons to opt for a secret conversation in Messenger like exchanging confidential or private information. For such activities, using the secret conversations is suitable.

Note: The screenshots below are from the Messenger app for Android. You follow the same steps on your iPhone and start a secret conversation.

Step 1: Open the Facebook Messenger app on your phone.

Step 2: Tap on the compose button in the upper right corner.

Step 3: Enable lock toggle at the top.

Step 4: You have an option to start a conversation with contacts from the list. Messenger will suggest contacts based on your history and preferences.

Tap on a contact you want to have a conversation with and start sending messages.

Before you go ahead and try to do the same trick on Facebook web or Messenger web, let us stop you right there. The secret conversation option is only available on Messenger iPhone, Android, and iPad apps.

Recent conversations in Facebook Messenger are separate from normal chats. When you compose a secret conversation in Messenger, the app will create another chat thread with the same person. Your normal chat remains untouched.

You can separate secret conversations from regular chat by checking out the little lock button below the profile picture on the Messenger home screen.

Secret Conversation Content Support

You can think of a secret conversation in Facebook Messenger as a stripped-down (but much more secure) messaging experience.

Secret conversations in Messenger allow you to send the following format.

• Text messages
• Pictures
• Messenger stickers
• Videos
• Voice recordings
• Voice and video calling

However, you can’t start a secret conversation in groups, and can’t send gifs either. The secret conversation doesn’t support payments either.

Quite a lot of limitations if you ask us. If these functions are important to you, you should avoid using secret conversations in Facebook Messenger.

Verify Secret Conversation Is Encrypted

To ensure that the secret conversation is indeed encrypted, you can compare the device key on your phone with the one on your friend’s phone. Here’s how.

Step 1: Open Facebook Messenger and go to any secret conversation.

Step 2: Tap on the info button in the upper right corner.

Step 3: Select Your Keys.

Compare the keys with your name on your friend’s device using a screenshot. Let’s say, your device keys are 345 on your phone. It should reflect the same under the other person’s phone.

Delete Secret Conversations in Messenger

Once you are done with secret messaging in Facebook Messenger, you should delete the chat. That way, you can avoid those chats from any unauthorized access. Here’s how to delete secret conversations in Facebook Messenger.

Step 1: Launch Facebook Messenger and open a secret conversation.

Step 2: Tap on the info button at the top and open the profile menu.

Step 3: Scroll down and select Delete chat.

Confirm your decision.

Using Multiple Devices with Secret Conversation

You can always use multiple devices to start a secret conversation. If you have another iPhone or Android lying around, you can also use secret conversation on them.

However, don’t expect your previous secret conversations on the last phone to appear here. You will start fresh on a new phone, and Facebook won’t sync secret conversations from your old phone to a new one.

When you start using a new phone, you and the participant will get a notice letting both know you are on a new device.

Enjoy Private Conversations

Unlike Snapchat, there is no way to detect if the other person is taking screenshots from secret conversations in Facebook Messenger. Before sharing confidential media and other information in a conversation, keep this in mind.