Getting Started with Facebook Touch: A Quick Guide

Without a doubt, Facebook is the largest social media platform on the planet. More than 2.5 billion users log in every month to access their service. A third of them use the platform multiple times a day. Much of this success can be attributed to the easily accessible product designs used by the company. Facebook Touch is one such innovative product in the company's portfolio. It also has several other great tools in its basket like Messenger, Facebook Pixel, and more.

Facebook started as a website but has now transformed into a multi-billion dollar company operating under the META name. When smartphones became popular, the company was one of the first sites to develop its own smartphone app. The idea is basic. The kind of uniformity we're seeing right now doesn't exist, and mobile browsers are clunky. Facebook is a complex website that doesn't work consistently on all phones. However, Facebook wants to provide a consistent experience for every user (regardless of the phone) through the app. If you wish to develop a Facebook-like application for your business, hire a dedicated development team to take over your project.

On some phones, the Facebook app is notorious for being slow in real life. Also, the graphics are poor compared to the website. But the alternative app Facebook Touch is a ready replacement. It was created by H5 Apps and has been supporting it since its debut in 2009. It's also free to download and use, just like the Facebook app.

What is Facebook Touch?

Launched in 2009, Facebook Touch was designed to familiarize smartphone users with touchscreen devices. It's said to be a stripped-down mobile version of Facebook's website and a more effective replacement for the Facebook app on Android and iOS due to a better user experience and sharper graphics.

It also runs faster than the latter. The Touch version of the Facebook app is still available as an option, despite its huge commercial success in giving users more choice. There's a lot more to know about the app that you only understand after using it. However, it only works on Android devices, preventing iOS users from getting an easy-to-use version of the Facebook app.

How is Facebook Touch different?

So what makes Facebook Touch more popular than the official Facebook app? It mostly boils down to improved looks and performance. The name is reminiscent of the early days of smartphone development. This is the result of Facebook Touch's touchscreen optimization. Of course, a lot has changed during that time. Let's see what features this app currently offers.

better interface

Improve media quality

Less data usage and faster loading

Reduce memory consumption

Now that you understand the key differences, we'll go over them in detail.

better interface

The buttons are all more responsive than those in the official app and are all tuned for mobile use. Everything is organized and presented in a meaningful way. Even better, you can set the program to run in full screen mode, which will make your Android system buttons invisible. No need to worry about icons, videos and images being cut off by the edges of the screen.

Improve media quality

Compared to the desktop website, the Facebook app provides lower quality images and videos. You will not be able to view higher resolution versions. Images and videos on Facebook Touch are displayed in their original quality.

If they upload a super high resolution image, you'll be able to see them in all their glory. Remember that no application can increase the initial resolution of an image. Browse Facebook in any way and if the original image is low resolution, this is what you will see.

Less data usage and faster loading

Although Facebook Touch offers sharper images and videos, it consumes less mobile data. Because it uses a more complicated transfer method than the official app, so it is. We're willing to try and guess as there isn't much information on how it works.

Facebook Touch will likely limit most ad tracking traffic. Facebook would never take such a step, but third-party developers might. Without a doubt, this will shed light on how H5 can create faster applications.

Reduce memory consumption

Since it's lighter than the official app, Facebook Touch is more popular with people using smartphones with low storage capacity. Because it consumes less RAM, it won't slow down your other apps significantly. It also means it works better on older or cheaper prepaid phones.

How to access Facebook Touch?

You can access the Facebook Touch app in several ways. Here we share how to access it on desktop systems.

Visit http://touch.facebook.com on a desktop browser to access Facebook Touch.

When you access Facebook Touch for the first time, you will be prompted to log in with your Facebook account.

After logging in your news feed will be displayed.

From here, you can access all the features of Facebook Touch by tapping the icon at the bottom of the screen. Home, Friends, Messages, Notifications, etc. are icons.

Click the "What are you thinking?" box at the top of the screen to post an update or upload a photo.

Find and connect with friends using the "Search people, places, and things" box at the top of the home page.

Check the location using the "Add location" option at the top of the page. You can also tag your friends and share updates through this option.

Tap the "More" button at the bottom of the screen, then select a game or app from the drop-down menu that appears to access a range of other entertainment features.

Download Facebook Touch on your smartphone

Neither the App Store nor the Google Play Store has a Facebook Touch app. When you search for Facebook Touch in either of these two stores, only the standard Facebook app is available. You will need to download an APK file. After downloading, log in to your account to see the improved user interface and higher resolution photos. Follow the instructions below to access the APK file for Facebook Touch:

Search and download Facebook APK

Search for "Facebook Touch APK" in the search bar of your frequently used web browser and download the apk file from a trusted website. Make sure you don't download it from other suspicious looking sites, the file may have some malware in it.

Allow installation from unknown sources

The next thing to do is to modify the authorization settings of the device after downloading Facebook Touch. To do this, allow the installation of applications from unauthorized sources on your smartphone. You need to do this from your phone's settings. Install Facebook Touch APK

You can choose an installer after downloading the APK file. To do this, click the Install button. The app will be installed automatically after this as it does not require any additional permissions.

Open and run Facebook Touch

You can take advantage of all the features of Facebook Touch by launching the app and logging into your account with your account login information. The app is easy to use and loads very quickly, so you shouldn't have any issues setting up your account for the first time.

Can you send messages using the Facebook Touch app?

Facebook Touch doesn't support messaging, just like the official Facebook app. While messaging was critical to the desktop version of the site, Facebook took a different approach to its mobile experience. If you select the Messages icon in the Facebook app, Facebook Messenger will open.

Facebook's chat feature is the only feature available in the standalone program Messenger. With Messenger, you can receive updates in real time as it is a live chat application. For example, like Signal or WhatsApp, you can see when someone is typing, when they're online, and take advantage of other features.

How to use Facebook Touch on a slow connection

If you're using Facebook Touch on a slow internet connection, there are a few things you can do to enhance your experience.

Switch to low bandwidth mode

When you log into Facebook Touch for the first time, you will be prompted to select low bandwidth mode. An easier-to-use, data-less version of the Facebook Touch UI will load in this mode.

close image loading

You can disable High Quality Photos by choosing Settings from the More menu. Next, select Advanced Settings and deselect Display Image.

Use a wireless network

If you have access, we recommend using your WiFi connection instead of a mobile data connection. Thanks to better connectivity, you'll be able to move between app screens as fast as possible.

Pros and Cons of Facebook Touch

Before we wrap up, let's have an overview of the pros and cons of Facebook Touch. What is it good at and what can be improved?

Facebook Touch Expert

Facebook Touch replaced the original Facebook app in many ways. A few of them are listed below:

Improve application loading speed

less data consumption

Reduce battery usage

High-quality pictures and videos

Enhanced user experience compared to the official app

No post width or height restrictions; can be enlarged as needed

Facebook Touch Disadvantages

Although Facebook Touch outperforms the Facebook app, there are still many aspects that can be seen as limitations of Facebook Touch.

There is not much difference visually between the two

If you're currently fairly comfortable with Facebook and have no issues with its performance or quality, there's not much reason to start using Facebook Touch

Facebook Touch may not perform as well on desktop as it does on mobile

Facebook has also released several touchscreen lite app versions, some of which may be better than Facebook Touch

in conclusion

Facebook Touch is a great alternative to traditional Facebook surfing. However, iPhone users will not be able to install it. However, for those looking for a more personalized mobile experience, the app offers a lot more than the official app. After installing this application, you will have access to a sleeker user interface and improved performance. At least you don't have to worry about the notoriously power-hungry nature of the Facebook app.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Facebook Touch? Facebook Touch is a third-party app created by H5 (now called Lighthouse). It is specially developed for touch screen mobile devices. In addition to various features that might make your experience better, it also includes a user-friendly layout. In other words, it will run faster (using less data), and graphics and display may also be improved.

What's the difference between the official Facebook app and Facebook Touch?

Facebook Touch was created for touch-enabled devices, which is the main difference between Facebook Touch and the standard Facebook app. You can use Facebook Touch to quickly access your News Feed, recent messages and notifications. You can use Facebook Touch to quickly find and connect with friends. Additionally, you can share what you're reading or watching, upload updates and images, see places and tag friends, play games, and use official apps.

How do I change my profile picture with Facebook Touch?

When you select your current avatar on Facebook Touch, the option to modify or select a new avatar will appear. From there you can change your account's profile picture.

How does the Page look on Facebook Touch?

Facebook Stories will appear first on the Facebook Touch app, followed by posts from people and groups you follow. You'll also see ads, suggested pages, and suggested people.