Facebook, along with its Messenger app, is a popular, simple, and free way to stay in touch with family and friends, no matter where they might be. A big part of its appeal might also be an abundance of stickers, gifs, and emojis you can send to your Facebook friends, along with an option to wave, as a fun and interesting way of saying “Hello”.
However, it seems that the new, updated Messenger app no longer supports the favored wave feature. So, as long as you are using the older version of Facebook Messenger (or for future reference in case the feature does come back) here is how you can wave to your friends on Facebook and Facebook Messenger:
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Wave to a new friend
When you add a new friend on Facebook or import a new contact into Messenger, you will see that a new conversation has started between you, even if no one has sent a message yet. Once you open this conversation, there will be a message from the app saying that your new friend is waving at you.
From there, you will have the option of sending a wave back automatically, just by pressing the yellow waving hand symbol. However, this option will only work once, after a new friend has been added. If you want to send a wave to a longtime Facebook friend, you’ll need to take a few additional steps.
Wave through the Messenger app
If you want to wave to a friend you’ve already chatted with before, you can easily do just that, as long as your friend is currently active on Facebook Messenger. Follow these steps to wave through the Messenger app when using a smartphone or a tablet:
- Open the Messenger app on your device.
- Press the People icon, located at the bottom of the screen. From there, tap the Active tab at the top, for a list of friends that are currently online.
- You will now see a grey circle with a waving hand icon next to each active person on your friend’s list.
- To send a wave, simply tap the Hello Button (waving hand) that’s located next to the name of the person you want to wave to.
- Your friend will now receive a waving hand from you and will have an option to wave back.
Wave through the Facebook website
Sending a wave through the Facebook website when using a laptop or a desktop computer might even be easier and more convenient, as the website allows you to wave to your friends even when they aren’t active. To send a wave through Facebook, just follow these simple steps:
- Visit facebook.com and log into your account using your e-mail address and password.
- On the Home page, you will see a Chat section at the bottom-right corner of the screen. If it’s minimized, click the Chat section to open it.
- You will now see a list of your friends, with the currently active ones showing a green dot next to their name.
- Choose a friend you’d like to wave to, and hover the cursor over their name. The Direct Wave Button (a grey waving hand) will now appear next to their name.
- To wave to your friend, simply press the Direct Wave Button next to their name.
- Your friend will now receive a wave from you and will have an option to wave back.
Send a wave back to a friend
If you want to wave back at someone who invited you to Facebook Messenger, or who simply sent a wave first, just follow these easy steps:
- Open the message in question in Facebook Messenger.
- A yellow hand icon will appear, saying “X (the other person) is waving at you” and “Tap to wave back”.
- To send a wave back, simply press the waving yellow hand symbol.
- Now, you will see a message saying “You and X waved at each other”.
Undo a wave on Messenger
If you sent a wave by accident, or to the wrong person, there’s no need to worry – you can easily undo this common mistake. All you have to do is open the chat in question, and long-tap on the wave you sent (press and hold the sent wave icon for a couple of seconds).
Then, press Remove, followed by Remove for Everyone. This will remove the wave from both your and the recipient’s conversations. However, it’s worth mentioning that the wave has to be undone within 10 minutes of sending, otherwise it cannot be removed anymore.
Although an easily accessible feature, and a fun way to greet your friends, the Facebook wave is not a part of the new Facebook Messenger design, and might not be an option when using the updated app.
