How to attach a file in Messenger

Whether you're chatting with a friend or relative or a business colleague on Facebook, it's sometimes useful to be able to attach a file to your conversation. Photos, documents and other types of files can all be attached using the service's website and images and videos can be shared with the smartphone Messenger app.

Sending Attachments on Facebook's Website

If you're chatting with someone on the Facebook instant messaging tool built into its website, it's easy to attach a file to your conversation.

First, click the person's name in the contacts pane. Use the search box in the bottom of the contacts pane to search for them if you don't see them.

Then, in your conversation, click the icon that looks like a paper clip. Browse on your computer for the file you want to send, then hit "Open." You may want to notify the person ahead of time that you are sending a file so they know it is legitimate and not malware or a phishing attack.

The person getting the message will see the name of the file and a link to download it from Facebook. If it's a photo, the photo itself may be displayed within the chat, and the recipient can click or tap to expand it.

If you need to send multiple files, you can create a zip file to contain them all and reduce the files' size. Built-in tools on Windows and Mac make it possible to zip a folder simply by right-clicking or control-clicking it. Send zip files the same way as any other files.

Attachments can be received and downloaded on the Facebook website or its Messenger apps for iPhone and Android devices.

Use Messenger to Attach a File

If you're looking to send a file on Facebook Messenger on Android or iPhone, you can do this as well in a similar way for certain types of files, specifically images and videos.

If it's a photo or video, tap the camera image within a Messenger chat session, then use your photo's photo selector to find the images or videos you want to share. They will generally appear within the chat.

If you're looking to send another kind of file, you will need to use another app other than Facebook Messenger to send the file or transfer the file to a computer and send it from there. You can also upload the file to a file sharing service such as Dropbox or Google Drive and send a link to it using the Messenger app.

Facebook Messenger is a feature-packed IM client that has evolved a lot over time. Besides offering messaging, voice, and video calling functions, it lets you share photos, videos, and Facebook stories.

However, unlike WhatsApp, Messenger lacks a basic yet handy feature which is the ability to send files or documents. Due to this limitation, it’s not possible to send attachments such as a PDF, Docx, MP3, or a Zip file using the Messenger app. Also, you won’t find Messenger in Android’s Share menu either when sharing a file directly using a file manager.

That said, if you want to send a file in Messenger 2022 itself then that’s possible. Ironically, Messenger Lite, a stripped-down and lighter version of Messenger includes the file sharing option. It is surprising that the feature is a part of the Lite version but excluded from the regular app.

The Lite app is just 10MB in size and consumes very less mobile data.

Speaking of Messenger Lite, the chat app by Facebook is available in many countries including the US, UK, Canada, and India. In regions where it isn’t available, Android users can simply download the app’s APK and sideload it.

On the other hand, you won’t find Messenger Lite for iPhone and iPad. Though iOS users will still receive any files sent to them from Messenger for Android.

Now let’s see how you can attach a file in Messenger on an Android phone.

1. Install Messenger Lite on your Android phone.
2. Open the app and log in with your Facebook account.
   
3. Now open the desired conversation or chat. You can also search for the person to whom you want to send a file.
4. Tap the + button at the bottom left and choose the File option.
   
5. Then tap the menu from the top left and select your device.
   
6. Select the file from a particular folder on your internal storage.
   
7. Hit Open and then tap the ‘Send‘ option to send the file.
   

That’s it. After the file is sent, the receiver can download and view it using the regular Messenger app itself. The only downside is that you can’t send multiple files at once.

We hope you found this article helpful.

ALSO READ: How to Find Archived Stories on Facebook app

Mayur Agarwal is the founder and editor-in-chief of WebTrickz. As a Technology enthusiast and an Internet addict, he loves sharing useful How To’s and Tips & Tricks.

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