Facebook Debuts Message Reactions and Mentions for its Messenger App - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Facebook Debuts Message Reactions and Mentions for its Messenger App

by

Facebook's Messenger app for iOS devices was today updated with a new Message Reactions feature, which is similar to the Tapback features introduced in Apple's Messages app in iOS 10.

Message Reactions are designed to allow Facebook users to react to a message with an emoji symbol to express an emotion without needing to type out a response. Users can choose from emoji like thumbs up, thumbs down, a sad face, an angry face, a smiling face, and more.

facebookmessengerreactions
To add a reaction to an incoming message, press and hold on the message and choose an emoji. For those who use Apple's Messages app, this action is already familiar.

The emoji reaction is added to whichever message it's attached to in the form of a small animation. Messenger Reactions work on one on one conversations and group conversations, and can be used on text, photos, stickers, videos, and more.

Also new in Messenger is "Mentions," designed to allow users to notify someone when they've been mentioned in a conversation. This is, of course, mainly useful for group conversations that have multiple participants.

A Mention can be sent by using the "@" symbol before someone's name, and the person who has been mentioned will receive a notification.

Both Mentions and Reactions are rolling out to the Messenger app today.

Facebook Messenger for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

jerry16 Avatar
122 months ago
A Mention can be sent by using the "@" symbol before someone's name, and the person who has been mentioned will receive a notification.
Someone, somewhere is going to get burnt by this
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
swm Avatar
122 months ago
Like the time I was texting this girl named Ariel, while simultaneously texting my friend Andrew about this girl Ariel. You can guess where the story goes from there.
now you're just somebody i used to know...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
v0lume4 Avatar
122 months ago
Someone, somewhere is going to get burnt by this
Like the time I was texting this girl named Ariel, while simultaneously texting my friend Andrew about this girl Ariel. You can guess where the story goes from there.

But man, when my entire Facebook friends list is linked up to the messenger app (if or when I want to use it), the possibility of chaos is immense!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jdawgnoonan Avatar
122 months ago
Apple vs Google, who cares, both great. Screw Facebook. No. Won't do it. I never wanted a separate app to begin with and I still don't. There is nothing they can do to entice me, and if my friends are too cheap to have a proper SMS plan: Call or email. I don't want another stupid messaging app because I don't want to hear from you bad enough to install it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

meta logo new%402x

EU: Facebook and Instagram's Infinite Scroll May Break Digital Rules

Friday July 10, 2026 5:37 am PDT by
Meta has been warned by the European Commission that its endlessly scrolling Facebook and Instagram feeds may violate the EU's new Digital Services Act rules. In preliminary findings published on Friday, the Commission said that its investigation into features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalized recommender systems, found that Meta "did not...
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 12 New Features

Friday July 17, 2026 10:39 am PDT by
It is now mid-July, and that means the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are now just two months away. The devices are expected to look similar to the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but there will still be many year-over-year changes, with rumored features including a smaller Dynamic Island, 5G via satellite, and more. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, ...
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Feature

'Apple Upgrade' Program Reportedly Launching Next Week

Tuesday July 21, 2026 8:30 am PDT by
Apple and Klarna are partnering on a new "Apple Upgrade" program set to launch in the U.S. on Tuesday, July 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The program will allow you to finance most iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models, with a 24-month term for iPhones and Apple Watches and a 36-month term for iPads and Macs. Customers will be able to pay off the device early during the term, ...