How to not receive messages from strangers on Messenger

Because we often link our Facebook account with Instagram , when someone sends a message from Instagram, you will also receive it on Messenger. And when a stranger sends you a message on Messenger, these messages will be moved to the Pending Messages section and included in the incoming notification.

If you don't want to be bothered by messages from strangers, scroll down below and see instructions on how to block messages from strangers.

Instructions to block receiving messages from strangers on Messenger

Latest interface now

Step 1: Select the three-bar icon in the upper left corner of the Messenger home screen.

Step 2: Select Privacy and safety.

Step 3: In the Privacy and safety interface , select Message distribution .

Step 4: Here there will be two options, with the option Other people on Messenger or Facebook , you will completely block messages from strangers on Facebook and Messenger. And with the option Friends of friends on Facebook , you will only block friends in your friends list.

With both options, you will have 3 options:

• Chats: Receive all messages and will be transferred to your current main chat list.
• Message Pending: Move the message to Message Pending.
• Do not accept pending messages: Do not accept any pending messages.

If you want to block all messages from people who are not your friends, then in both options, select Do not receive pending messages .

The advantage of blocking messages as above is to protect maximum privacy, especially for those who provide services or sell on Facebook or simply spam. At the same time, avoid the risk of scam messages or messages with unsafe content from strangers.

However, if you regularly get information through Facebook groups or Fanpages or similar, you should not turn off the option to receive messages from strangers. Especially when exchanging and buying and selling on Marketplace.

Old interface

Step 1:

At the Messenger interface, we will click on the avatar at the bottom of the screen. Then you will be transferred to the account settings interface, click on Privacy & safety .

Step 2:

Switch to the new interface, we scroll down and click on Message Distribution to choose who can message you. In the Others section , we will click on Others on Facebook .

Step 3:

By default, Messenger will notify strangers who send us messages that they have pending messages.

To turn off message notifications from strangers on Messenger , we click on Do not receive pending messages . The settings will then be saved.

Step 4:

Back on the interface, tap People on Instagram . By default, people from Instagram will also send you messages via notification queue.

We will tap on Don't receive pending messages from strangers on Instagram.

Video tutorial on how to block receiving Messenger messages from strangers

How to block receiving messages from strangers on Messenger computer

Step 1:

On the Facebook interface, we click on the personal photo and select Settings & privacy. Then we click on Settings to adjust .

Step 2:

Next, switch to the new interface, the user will click on Privacy in the list on the left of the interface.

Step 3:

Now you look to the right of the interface and you will see the section You receive messages waiting with the section Others . We will click the Edit button to change it again.

Step 4:

At other people on Facebook , we will switch to the mode Do not receive pending messages .

Step 5:

Next, the user will adjust the mode to not receive messages from the account on Instagram. We also adjust to the mode of not receiving messages from strangers and no notifications sent to you.

Where do Facebook Messenger spam messages appear?

By default, Facebook Messenger hides spam messages so you don't have to receive unwanted messages. Instead of going to your main messaging inbox, Facebook moves spam messages to a separate folder called Pending Messages . Since you probably don't visit that location often, you may occasionally be "inundated" with spam messages when you check your message requests.

To see message requests — which can also be spam — on your desktop, launch Facebook in your browser and click the Chat icon at the top of the page. Then click the square See All in Messenger button at the top of the chat box.

At the top of your chat list, tap the three-dot menu and select Waiting Messages .

Finally, you can switch between the You May Know and Spam tabs to see all pending message requests.

In the Messenger mobile app, tap your account icon in the top left and select Message Waiting in the menu.

Just like on desktop, you can switch between the You May Know and Spam tabs to see all the message requests waiting for you.

Remember that Facebook will do its best to sort messages for you, but some messages in the You Know tab are more likely to be spam, and not all messages in the Spam tab are spam.