To use Messenger without the Facebook feed on a computer, open your chats directly and shut the feed. With I've had it in Chrome, Edge, Brave or Arc, set Facebook to No feeds and keep Messages always open ticked: messenger.com and facebook.com/messages work as usual and aren't counted, while the news feed, Reels, Watch and Stories stay shut.
Can Facebook show only messages?
Not on facebook.com. The site always opens on the news feed, with Reels and Watch a click away, and there is no setting that turns those off. Messenger on its own is calmer:
- messenger.com shows your chats without the feed, in a browser tab. At the time of writing it is the simplest built-in way to message without seeing the feed. If it sends you on to facebook.com/messages, that is covered too.
- facebook.com/messages opens your chats inside Facebook. The feed is one click away from here.
- The Messenger phone app keeps chats in their own app, separate from Facebook's feed. It has stories and suggestions of its own.
A bookmark straight to your chats helps. The catch is that the feed is always one tab or one click away, and the reflex is to check it on the way.
How do I set up Messenger without the feed?
- Add the extension from the install page.
- In setup, leave Facebook on No feeds (the default).
- Make sure Messages always open is ticked under Facebook. It is on by default. You can change it on your dashboard.
- Bookmark
messenger.comorfacebook.com/messages, whichever you use. - Open the bookmark. Your chats work as usual. Click the Facebook logo or Home: the feed is shut.
Which pages count as messages?
| Address | Counts as | With No feeds and Messages always open |
|---|---|---|
| messenger.com, any page | Messages | Open as usual, not counted |
facebook.com/messages | Messages | Open as usual, not counted |
facebook.com/t/... | Messages | Open as usual, not counted |
| News feed, Watch, Reels, Stories, Gaming | Feeds | Shut |
| Groups, Marketplace, events, profiles | Specific pages | 30 seconds from a link elsewhere, or a short pause and two minutes |
While Messages always open is on, messages are left alone completely: they are not timed, they don't use your daily budget or a site's daily limit, and the scroll check doesn't run in a chat. Read more in messages always open.
What happens when someone sends me a link in Messenger?
It depends on where the link goes:
- A Facebook post, group or event gets a short pause and a two-minute window. Messenger and Facebook count as one site, so a link from a chat is treated like moving around inside Facebook, not like a link from elsewhere. The 30-second quick pass is for Facebook links you open from other places, like email or another chat app.
- A Facebook reel or video in Watch counts as a feed, so it is shut. If you really need it, unlock the feed for 10 minutes.
- Anything outside the watched sites, like a news article, opens normally. The extension can't see other sites at all.
What if I turn Messages always open off?
Then Messenger is treated like any other page on Facebook. With No feeds, opening your chats gets a short pause and a two-minute window. Most people leave the box ticked. Turning it off makes sense only if messaging itself is the thing you want to cut down.
Does this work on my phone?
No. The extension works in desktop browsers only. The I've had it phone app shows your numbers and lets you change your plan, but it doesn't block inside the Facebook or Messenger apps. On a phone, a common setup is to keep the Messenger app for chats and move the Facebook app off the home screen, or limit it with Screen Time (iPhone) or Digital Wellbeing (Android).
Questions
Can I use Messenger without seeing the Facebook feed?
Yes. messenger.com shows chats without the feed. With I've had it on a computer, the feed, Reels and Watch are shut too, so they aren't one click away.
Do Messenger chats count toward my time limit?
Not while Messages always open is ticked. Messages on messenger.com and facebook.com/messages are not timed or counted.
Does blocking Facebook block Messenger too?
No. With No feeds and Messages always open, the default for Facebook, only the feeds are shut. Your chats keep working.
Can I open links friends send me on Messenger?
Yes. Facebook posts and groups open after a short pause for two minutes, and links to other sites open normally. Facebook reels count as the feed and stay shut unless you unlock it.
Does it work in Safari or Firefox?
Not yet. It works in Chrome, Edge, Brave and Arc on a computer.