Facebook Messenger: disable SMS feature

If you have accidentally agreed to Facebook Messenger becoming the default application for the SMS feature, you can easily disable this again. You will then receive short messages in the SMS app again.

How to deactivate the SMS function in Facebook Messenger?

After a certain update of Facebook Messenger, the app will ask you if you want to use the SMS function by default. If you have accidentally answered in the affirmative or you are not satisfied with the way it works, you can disable it again. It works like this:

1. First open the Facebook Messenger app on your smartphone.
2. Tap on the top right of the person icon "Profile".
3. Tap here now on the menu "SMS".
4. Now deactivate "Default app for SMS" by tapping the slider to the right of the entry.
5. Finally, you must now decide which app should be used for SMS instead. You can use the pre-installed SMS app of the smartphone or also another messenger.

Problems with SMS in Messenger

If you send SMS via Facebook Messenger, then costs are incurred as usual via your mobile phone contract. But since you can also chat online in Messenger for free, this can easily lead to confusion. Particularly problematic: A picture can be sent quickly and easily on the Internet. But if you send this accidentally as an MMS, there are comparatively high fees for most contracts.