In this article, we will learn How to install Facebook Messenger App (Messenger for Desktop) in Ubuntu 18.04. Facebook Messenger is an instant messaging application launched by Facebook. Officially it is only available for mobile devices but if you want to install it on your Linux operating system, we have packages for them unofficially. The messenger was a part of the Facebook website, but then mobile users released a separate app for the message. You can use Facebook login details to log in to Facebook Messenger, this is the most popular app for WhatsApp messaging.
Features of Facebook Messenger for Desktop App:
- Create a group of your friends to start a group chat using the Facebook Messenger app.
- The Facebook Messenger app is available for mobile devices. Android, Windows Phone, iOS
- You can do HD video calling on the Internet with your friends.
- it is available for almost all major operating systems i.e. Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS.
Follow the below steps to install Facebook messenger for Desktop App in Ubuntu 18.04:
We have to download the package before installing the Facebook Messenger app. Click here and download the Facebook Messenger package. As we can see below, I have already downloaded the facebook Messenger .deb package. See the output below.
itsmarttricks@mangesh:~$ cd ~/Desktop itsmarttricks@mangesh:~/Desktop$ ls -l messengerfordesktop-2.0.9-linux-amd64.deb -rw-rw-r-- 1 itsmarttricks itsmarttricks 50615886 Jan 28 21:29 messengerfordesktop-2.0.9-linux-amd64.deb
Update Ubuntu 18.04 packages and repositories using the command below.
itsmarttricks@mangesh:~/Desktop$ itsmarttricks@mangesh:~/Desktop$ cd itsmarttricks@mangesh:~$ sudo apt-get update [sudo] password for itsmarttricks: Ign:1 cdrom://Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS _Bionic Beaver_ - Release amd64 (20180725) bionic InRelease Err:2 cdrom://Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS _Bionic Beaver_ - Release amd64 (20180725) bionic Release Please use apt-cdrom to make this CD-ROM recognized by APT. apt-get update cannot be used to add new CD-ROMs Ign:3 http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb stable InRelease Err:4 http://ppa.launchpad.net/aseman/desktop-apps/ubuntu bionic InRelease
Now we’re ready to install the Facebook Messenger package. So let’s go ahead and install it using the following command.
itsmarttricks@mangesh:~$ cd ~/Desktop itsmarttricks@mangesh:~/Desktop$ sudo dpkg -i messengerfordesktop-2.0.9-linux-amd64.deb [sudo] password for itsmarttricks: Selecting previously unselected package messengerfordesktop. (Reading database ... 191120 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. 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 (0.23-1ubuntu3.18.04.1) ... Processing triggers for mime-support (3.60ubuntu1) ... Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) ... Errors were encountered while processing: messengerfordesktop
As you are seeing from a Facebook Messenger package, it is asking for some dependencies to complete the installation. So use the following command to install the necessary dependencies.
itsmarttricks@mangesh:~$ sudo apt-get install -f Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done Correcting dependencies... Done The following additional packages will be installed: 0 upgraded, 7 newly installed, 0 to remove and 245 not upgraded. 1 not fully installed or removed. Need to get 952 kB of archives. After this operation, 8,816 kB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y Get:1 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 libindicator7 amd64 16.10.0+18.04.20180321.1-0ubuntu1 [21.7 kB] Get:2 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 libappindicator1 amd64 12.10.1+18.04.20180322.1-0ubuntu1 [19.4 kB] Get:3 http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic/universe amd64 gconf2-common all 3.2.6-4ubuntu1 [700 kB]
Also Read – How to install Riot IM Instant Messaging Client in Ubuntu 18.04
As we can see on, we have successfully installed the Facebook Messenger package. Now use the following command.
itsmarttricks@mangesh:~/Desktop$ sudo dpkg -l messengerfordesktop Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold | Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend |/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad) ||/ Name Version Architecture Description +++-==============-============-============-================================= iU messengerforde 2.0.9-171 amd64 A simple & beautiful desktop clie
Now to open the application just type the command messengerfordesktop on shell prompt. Refer to the command below.
itsmarttricks@mangesh:~/Desktop$ itsmarttricks@mangesh:~/Desktop$ cd itsmarttricks@mangesh:~$ messengerfordesktop
Just enter your Facebook username and password to login into the application after opening the app.
After login, Facebook Messenger is ready for you to use the app. See snapshots below.
You can open Facebook Messenger App graphically by searching your Ubuntu Applications box. See snapshots below
How To Uninstall Facebook Messenger for Desktop App in Ubuntu 18.04?
For any reason, if you don’t like Facebook Messenger and want to uninstall the application from your system using the following commands.
itsmarttricks@mangesh:~$ sudo dpkg -r messengerfordesktop (Reading database ... 191387 files and directories currently installed.) Removing messengerfordesktop (2.0.9-171) ... Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-2) ... Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-11ubuntu1.1) ... Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.23-1ubuntu3.18.04.1) ... Processing triggers for mime-support (3.60ubuntu1) ...
Also Read – How to Install Wechat App (Wechat Messenger Desktop Client) in Ubuntu 18.04
That’s all, In this article, we have explained How to install Facebook Messenger App (Messenger for Desktop) in Ubuntu 18.04. I hope you enjoy this article. If you like this article, then just share it. If you have any questions about this article, please comment.