Deciding which version of Facebook to use on your mobile device is not easy. You have two options: Facebook Touch (or Mobile), which runs in a web browser; or the Facebook application, which requires installation.
In this article, we check out both Facebook Touch and the Facebook App, so that you can decide which one is right for you in 2022.
Table of contents
What is Facebook Touch?
Facebook Touch is the official browser-based version of the Facebook website intended for use by mobile devices with a touch screen.
You can access it by typing either touch.facebook.com or m.facebook.com into the browser on your mobile device.
Do NOT confuse it with regular Facebook accessed also using the browser but by typing in facebook.com. This version redirects to m.facebook.com on a mobile device.
How to install Facebook Touch?
There is No installation required.
Just open your favourite internet browser and enter any of the following URLs:
- touch.facebook.com
- m.facebook.com
- mtouch.facebook.com
- iphone.facebook.com
- facebook.com (redirects to m.facebook.com)
All of the above addresses redirect to the same web page – giving you access to Facebook on a mobile device.
Back in 2016 Facebook listened to customers’ confusion and consolidated all of the mobile versions of their websites to resolve to a single site. That’s why they all look the same and offer the same functionality.
Just login with your regular Facebook credentials. It really is that simple.
What is the Facebook App?
The Facebook App is the official application-based version of Facebook. You install it from either the Google Play Store – for Android, or the App Store for Apple IOS devices.
It installs as an application on your smartphone or mobile device and supports all of the regular Facebook features.
How to install the Facebook App?
Type install facebook apk into Google search. You are directed to the page on Facebook where you can download and install the application:
You can also just search for facebook directly in the Google Playstore and install it from there.
It is just as easy on an Apple device. Open the App Store and search for facebook. Install and log in with your regular Facebook login credentials.
What Are the Differences Between Facebook Touch and the Facebook App?
There are some differences between the mobile version of Facebook Touch (Facebook for mobile) and the Facebook App to be aware of.
The first and most obvious is the way you access them.
To access Mobile Facebook open your web browser and type the URL. No installation is required.
The Facebook App requires installation onto your smartphone using either the App Store for IOS or the Play Store for Google Android.
Both versions are intended for use on mobile devices, but the Facebook App is more feature-rich.
This is because Facebook Touch does not have all of the functionality of the full web-based Facebook version available on a desktop computer. The Facebook App fills in a few of the missing pieces by offering more functionality – similar to the application.
The main differences are:
- Access Facebook for mobile using a browser
- To install the Facebook App use either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store
- Facebook for mobile is less functional than the Facebook App
- The Facebook App offers similar functionality to the full Facebook website versions
- The Facebook App uses more resources and is a serious drain on your battery
- The web version of Facebook for mobile is closer to the main Facebook website
- The App may contain more glitches and may not be as up-to-date as the website
Facebook Touch Features
Facebook for mobile has a number of useful features which are supported on touch-capable devices:
- Groups and lists available also on the App & the full website version
- Group membership
- A similar experience using mobile (Android & IOS) to the full version
- The same experience no matter which browser: Chrome, Firefox, Mozilla, Safari or Edge
- Newsfeed scrolling & faster image browsing
- Responsive UI design that displays nicely on the screen – screen size doesn’t matter
- Access to the chat feature
- No version upgrades: you’re always current once you log in
Final Thoughts
Facebook Touch offers a simple and easy way to access Facebook from a touch based mobile device.
It is easier because, since 2016 it doesn’t matter which URL you enter into your browser. You’ll have a unified experience that uses the resources in your device in the best possible way – giving you the best browsing experience relative to your device.
If you want to have all of the rich features of the full Facebook experience then you should install the Facebook application.