Are you still using a version of Facebook Messenger that employs check marks as a way of indicating the delivery status of each message?
While Messenger regularly changes small details about the user experience, check marks have long been one of the ways that the platforms lets users know whether their messages have been sent or not. To help you decipher the different check mark icons, we’ve created this quick identification guide to help.
What Does an Empty Circle Check Mark Mean?
Before we define the different types of check mark that you may see on Facebook Messenger, it’s important to note two things. The first is that this check mark has nothing to do with verification – and is not linked with any check marks that you see next to a profile name on Facebook. The second is that check marks are only seen next to message that you have sent – not those which you receive.
With that said, a check mark in an empty circle shows that the message has been sent from your phone. However, it cannot be viewed by the recipient until it reaches the next stage…
What Does a Full Circle Check Mark Mean?
A check mark inside a full coloured circle tells you that your message has been delivered – that is, it has been received on the recipients device.
This does not mean that they have opened or even seen that they have a message. It simply lets you know that your message has been transported across the virtual sphere and has arrived on their device.
How Do You Know When a Message Has Been Read?
When the recipient opens the conversation stream on Facebook Messenger and sees your message, the check marks are replaced by a small version of their profile image.
This lets you know that they have seen and opened the message.
We hope this quick guide helps you to distinguish between a sent message and one which has been delivered, ensuring that you know exactly what signs to look out for to indicate that the recipient has not just received but read your message.
