Facebook on Wednesday launched a standalone version of its Messenger service for web browsers separate from Facebook’s main site, marking another step in the company’s plan to make the service more ubiquitous.
The new Messenger service is available by going to Messenger.com and signing in with your Facebook account. For all other Facebook functions like browsing News Feed and viewing Timelines, you’ll have to go to Facebook’s main site, where messaging will also still be available as usual.
Facebook is adamant that Messenger isn’t leaving Facebook.com. Instead, Messenger for the web focuses solely on simple conversations and leaves the other parts of Facebook that can be distracting to the primary site.
If you want News Feed updates, you’ll need to head over to regular old Facebook. The same thing applies if you feel like reading through someone’s profile. Facebook Messenger has just one purpose: messaging.
The Messenger site features a list of your threads on the left, with a big, clean, white chat window on the right. You can use most of the mobile app’s features from here, including audio and video calls, stickers, and photos.
For now it lacks the ability to record and send audio messages, instantly send a photo from your web cam, or use the new Messenger platform content sharing apps. It doesn’t appear to show current friends that are online, just a list of recent messaging history.
The  ability to turn on desktop notifications is included,  so you get a little pop-up overlayed on your computer screen when you get a message that lets you jump to your Messenger.com tab.
