Check Message Requests Messenger: How to Find Them

To check message requests on Messenger, open the app, tap your profile picture in the top left, and select “Message requests.” You’ll see two tabs: “You may know” and “Spam,” where you can review and respond to messages from people you haven’t connected with.

What Are Message Requests?

Message requests are messages from people who aren’t your friends on Facebook and who you don’t follow on Instagram (if you’ve linked accounts). They don’t land in your main inbox; instead, they sit in a separate folder so you can decide whether to accept, block, or ignore them. This feature prevents strangers from spamming your primary chat list while still letting you see legitimate messages from people you might know.

When someone sends you a message request, you’ll see a notification that says “You have a message request.” The sender’s name and profile picture appear, but you won’t see the message content until you tap on it. You can either “Accept” the request to move the conversation to your main inbox, or “Delete” it to remove it. If you delete a request, the sender won’t know you saw it, and the conversation disappears.

How to Check Message Requests on Messenger (Mobile App)

On the Messenger app for iOS and Android, the steps are straightforward:

1. Open the Messenger app and log in if you haven’t already.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top-left corner of the Chats screen.
3. Scroll down and tap “Message requests.”
4. You’ll see two tabs: “You may know” and “Spam.” Tap each to review.
5. Tap a request to read the message. Then choose “Accept” or “Delete.”

If you accept a request, the conversation appears in your main Chats list. If you delete it, it’s gone (though the sender might still see the message as “sent”). You can also block the sender from the request screen if you don’t want future contact.

How to Check Message Requests on Messenger (Desktop)

On the Facebook website (messenger.com works too), the process is slightly different but just as easy:

1. Go to messenger.com or open Facebook in a browser.
2. Click the “Chats” icon in the top-left of the Facebook homepage, or go directly to messenger.com.
3. Click the three dots (…) next to “Chats” in the left sidebar.
4. Select “Message requests” from the dropdown menu.
5. Review the requests under “You may know” and “Spam.”

On desktop, you can also click the “People” icon in the left sidebar and then “Message requests” to see the same list. The interface is similar to mobile, with Accept and Delete buttons.

Why Don’t I See Message Requests?

There are a few common reasons you might not see the “Message requests” option:

• You’re using the old Messenger layout: If you haven’t updated the app, the menu might look different. Try updating Messenger from your app store.
• You have no requests: If you have no pending requests, the option might be grayed out or hidden. That’s normal.
• You’re on a business account: Some business accounts have different settings. Check your page’s inbox instead.
• You’ve blocked message requests: In Settings > Privacy, you can turn off message requests entirely. If you did that, you won’t see the folder.

If you’re still not seeing it, try logging out and back in, or clearing the app’s cache. On rare occasions, a bug might hide the option; a restart usually fixes it.

What’s the Difference Between Message Requests and Spam?

Messenger separates message requests into two categories:

• You may know: These are messages from people Facebook thinks you might know, based on mutual friends, groups, or contact lists. They appear with the sender’s name and a preview of the message.
• Spam: These are messages that Facebook’s filters have flagged as suspicious or unwanted. They’re often from accounts that send mass messages or contain links. You can open them, but be careful — they might contain phishing attempts or malware.

It’s important to check both tabs, because sometimes legitimate messages end up in Spam by mistake. If you’re expecting an important message from someone you don’t know (like a job recruiter or a customer), check Spam before assuming they didn’t contact you.

Can I Turn Off Message Requests?

Yes, you can control who can send you message requests. In Messenger settings, under “Privacy and safety,” you’ll find options like:

• Who can message you: Choose from “Everyone,” “Friends of friends,” or “Friends only.” If you choose “Friends only,” you won’t receive any message requests from strangers.
• Message request filtering: You can choose “Strict” or “Standard” filtering. Strict filtering sends more messages to Spam, while Standard allows more through to your “You may know” folder.

To access these settings on mobile: tap your profile picture > Settings > Privacy and safety. On desktop: click your profile picture > Settings & privacy > Settings > Privacy.

Keep in mind that turning off message requests entirely might block legitimate contacts, so weigh the trade-off.

Common Problems and Fixes

Here are some issues people run into and how to solve them:

• Message requests not loading: Check your internet connection, then close and reopen the app. If that doesn’t work, log out and back in.
• I accepted a request but it disappeared: The conversation might have moved to your main Chats list, but if you have many chats, it might be lower down. Use the search bar to find the sender’s name.
• I see a request but no message: Some senders send only a friend request, not a message. In that case, the request might be empty. You can still accept or delete it.
• I accidentally deleted a request: There’s no undo button. The sender would need to send a new message request.
• Can I see message requests on the Facebook app? Yes, but only through the Messenger integration. The Facebook app’s chat icon opens Messenger, where you can follow the same steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do message requests notify the sender when I read them?

No. Message requests don’t show “Seen” until you accept the request. The sender only sees “Delivered” or “Sent.” If you delete the request without accepting, the sender never knows you saw it.

Can I move a message request to my main inbox without accepting it?

No. Accepting is the only way to move it to your main Chats list. However, you can reply to a message request without accepting it — the reply will be sent, but the conversation stays in the request folder until you accept.

Why did a message go to Spam instead of my inbox?

Facebook’s filters automatically detect spam-like content, such as links, repeated messages, or messages from accounts with low trust scores. Sometimes legitimate messages get flagged. Check your Spam folder regularly if you’re expecting something.

Can I block someone from a message request?

Yes. When you open a message request, you’ll see options to “Accept,” “Delete,” or “Block.” Blocking prevents the person from sending you future requests or messages.

Do message requests expire?

No, they don’t expire. They stay in your request folder until you accept or delete them. However, if the sender deletes the message, it might disappear from your request list.

Can I see message requests on the web version of Messenger without a Facebook account?

No, you need a Facebook account to use Messenger. Message requests are tied to your Facebook profile, so you can’t access them without logging in.

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