caprine

Caprine is an unofficial desktop application for Facebook Messenger. It wraps the Messenger experience in a standalone app for macOS, Windows, and Linux, rather than requiring you to use a browser tab. The project describes itself as privacy-focused and adds several features that the browser version does not offer.

On the privacy side, you can block read receipts so contacts do not see when you have read their messages, block the typing indicator so they do not see when you are composing a reply, and prevent Facebook from tracking links you click. Notifications can be configured to hide the message preview text so nearby people cannot read your screen.

The app also adds practical conveniences: a dark mode, keyboard shortcuts for switching between conversations, a compact layout that adapts when the window is small, the ability to use multiple accounts, support for code blocks in messages, and a menu bar mode on macOS that keeps the app accessible without taking up space in the Dock. On macOS it also supports a translucent vibrancy window effect and Touch Bar controls.

Installation is straightforward. On macOS you can download a DMG file or install via Homebrew. On Windows there is an EXE installer or a Chocolatey package. Linux users have multiple options including packages for Arch Linux, Debian and Ubuntu, Fedora, Flatpak, Snap, and AppImage formats. The app updates silently in the background.

The project is considered feature-complete by its maintainer, meaning no new major features are planned, but bug fix contributions are still accepted.