People all around the world use Facebook Messenger, even those who do not have Facebook account still choose Messenger as their chatting application. While Messenger provide many useful features it also provides users with end to end encryption since everyday people are more concern about security and privacy when they spend hours on different social media platforms. Facebook Messenger secret conversations are only visible to the sender and the receiver, by the mean even Facebook cannot access the content of secret conversations. End-to-end encryption that is used in Messenger secret conversations works in the way that your conversations are encrypted from one device to another so it cannot be accessed by anyone else rather than users involved in the conversation, it means sender and receiver.
In Messenger secret conversations messages are not sent as plain text, they are series of codes and digits that would need the key that only sender and receiver have access to it. The keys would disappear as soon as the secret conversation is ended, so the messages cannot be read even after the conversation is ended.
How to set up Facebook Messenger secret conversations?
Messenger secret conversations are not enabled by default and you have to set them manually. However starting a secret conversation is simple and straight forward. Here is how to do it step by step.
- Install the latest version of Messenger
Update your Messenger to the latest version.
- Choose to compose messages.
Tap the compose button at top right of the screen.
- Tap secret.
On the appeared screen tap on secret option.
- Choose your contact.
Choose the contact you want to start the secret conversation with him or her.
How to turn a on going conversation to secret conversation?
In case you want to change an existing normal conversation into encrypted secret conversation follow the instruction below step by step.
- Choose the existing conversation that you wish to encrypt is from now on.
- Tap on the “i” icon at the top corner of conversation.
- Select “secret conversation” from the appeared menu.
- Confirm the pop up message that ask you whether you want to make the conversation secret or not, by tapping on “Turn on”.
How to delete Facebook Messenger secret conversations?
As you are able to delete regular messages and conversations you can always delete Facebook Messenger secret conversations manually through the Messenger home page. Remember that when you are in a secret conversation you cannot turn it off and in case you want to switch to normal conversation you need to delete it and start over. In order to delete all the Secret Conversations on Messenger follow the steps below.
- Tap on your profile picture.
- Scroll down and choose Secret Conversations.
- Tap Delete Secret Conversations.
- Tap Delete.
How to set self deleting timer for Facebook Messenger secret conversations?
Facebook Messenger will allow users to set an expiration time for a message so it be deleted automatically rather than being visible in the conversation forever. Once the time runs out, the timer set messages will vanish from the devices of people involved in the conversation, by the mean you can make your messages on secret conversations delete after specific set time.
- Tap the clock icon in the text box where you are typing your messages.
- Choose the time period that you would like your message to last. You can choose from range of one day to five seconds.
- When the time runs out the messages would be deleted automatically and disappear from both side.
How to make sure Facebook Messenger conversations are encrypted?
You can always check to make sure that messages are encrypted through a Facebook Messenger secret conversation. Users involved in a conversation can compare the “device key” that is used to encrypt messages and read the generated codes. In order to check a conversation’s device keys follow the instruction below step by step.
- Start a secret conversation by the instruction mentioned above.
- Tap on the contact name at the top of the chat screen.
- Select “Device Keys”.
- If the Keys are exactly the same as your friends Keys then you can be certain that the conversation is encrypted.
Frequent questions and answers about Messenger encryption
The new end-to-end encryption doesn’t turn on automatically on Messenger. However you can always choose to enable the feature for all of your conversations through the app. On the “Me” tab on Facebook Messenger and scroll down, the toggle the secret conversation switch to enable the feature for all chats.
If the option to start secret conversations is not there it means that your friend does not have the latest version of Messenger on his or her device. Both users involved in a conversation must have the latest version to start an encrypted secret conversation.
Since secret conversations are end to end encrypted they can only be accessed through current device, so you cannot access them on different devices.
When you receive messages through secret conversations on Messenger app from a friend, the notification states “Someone sent you a message” and the name of the person would not be shown
Secret conversations appear with your normal conversations within Messenger chat screen but are marked with a padlock icon on the sender’s profile picture.
Since the messages are end to end encrypted even Government can not spy on secret conversations messages.
Secret conversations do not allow involved users to send videos and Gifs. In case you need to send videos you must delete the secret conversation and start regular one.
You can always turn an on going conversation to encrypted one by tapping on your friends profile picture and choose secret conversation to switch it over.
You can set timer and choose your messages to be deleted after the timer set time is over. Timer limit is from five second to 24 hours.
No it is not going to happened automatically. But if you set a timer they can be deleted after the set time.
The ability to start secret conversations on Messenger is available on the latest version of the app all over the world.
