- Facebook Touch in 2009: a site for touchscreen phones
- The 2011 merger with m.facebook.com
- Does Facebook Touch still work today?
- Facebook Touch downloads and copycat apps
- Alternatives to Facebook Touch today
- What about mbasic.facebook.com?
- My take on Facebook Touch for business owners
- Frequently asked questions
Facebook Touch was the touch.facebook.com version of Facebook, a finger-friendly mobile website launched in October 2009 for touchscreen phones that didn't have a good Facebook app. In 2011 Facebook merged it with m.facebook.com into one mobile site that adapts to your phone, so Facebook Touch no longer exists as a separate product, even though the old address still answers.
If you've seen "Facebook Touch" in an old forum post or a download site and wondered whether you're missing a better version of Facebook, you're not. Here's what it was, what happened to it, what I could and couldn't confirm about the address today, and what to use instead.
Facebook Touch in 2009: a site for touchscreen phones
The Next Web reported on October 22, 2009 that Facebook had launched a new mobile version of its site aimed at touchscreen phones. iPhone owners already had their own version, but many other touchscreen phones were stuck with a site built for phones with keys. The new site, at touch.facebook.com, was finger-friendly and gave access to all the key parts of the service.
In its statement at the time, Facebook said it had redesigned its touch device sites, previously at x.facebook.com and iphone.facebook.com, and given them the new touch.facebook.com address. It also said you only needed to type facebook.com into your phone's browser to be sent to the mobile site best suited to your device. So most people used Facebook Touch without ever typing its name.
In 2009, phone apps were patchy. The Next Web pointed out that the Android Facebook app available then left a lot to be desired, so for many touchscreen owners the mobile website was the best way to use Facebook. Facebook Touch had bigger buttons, a layout designed for fingers and the main features in one place, which made it a big step up from the plain keypad version.
The 2011 merger with m.facebook.com
TechCrunch reported on March 31, 2011 that Facebook was replacing its two mobile websites with one. Until then, smartphone users had been sent to touch.facebook.com, which was optimised for large touchscreens, while feature phone users got the plainer m.facebook.com. Facebook's head of mobile products explained that running two sites meant engineers built every feature twice, and the two rarely matched.
The new single site checked what your phone could do and showed the features it supported, even adjusting graphics on the fly. TechCrunch said it would be live for everyone within a few weeks. At the same time, Facebook said it had 250 million mobile users a month. From that point, Facebook Touch stopped being a separate experience.
Does Facebook Touch still work today?
Here's what I could confirm and what I couldn't. When I checked the address on 25 Oct 2026, touch.facebook.com still loaded in a phone browser, and on a desktop browser it redirected straight to www.facebook.com. What I couldn't confirm is that it shows anything different from Facebook's normal mobile site. Facebook doesn't publish a current help page about touch.facebook.com, so there's no official statement that it's still a separate design, and the 2011 merger suggests it isn't.
| What people ask | What the evidence shows |
|---|---|
| Is Facebook Touch a separate app? | No. It was a mobile website, never an app. |
| Does touch.facebook.com still load? | Yes, on a phone browser when I checked; on a desktop it redirects to www.facebook.com. |
| Is it different from m.facebook.com? | Facebook merged the two sites in 2011, so it shouldn't be. |
| Is there an official Facebook Touch page now? | I couldn't find one in Facebook's help centre or newsroom. |
Facebook Touch downloads and copycat apps
Because the name still gets searched, you'll find app listings and download pages using "Facebook Touch" or "FB Touch". Facebook never released an app with that name, so treat these with caution. Some are harmless browser wrappers; others ask for your login details. Never type your Facebook password into an app that isn't Facebook's own, and if you've done so already, change your password and turn on two-factor authentication.
Alternatives to Facebook Touch today
| Option | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook app | Facebook's main app for iPhone and Android | Most people, with the full set of features |
| Facebook Lite | A lighter Android app that uses less data | Older phones and slow connections |
| m.facebook.com | The mobile website in your phone's browser | Using Facebook without installing an app |
| www.facebook.com | The full website on a computer | Managing Pages, groups and settings |
Meta's newsroom introduced Facebook Lite in June 2015 as a version of Facebook for Android that uses less data and works across all network conditions. It said the app was less than 1MB, quick to install and included the core experiences such as News Feed, status updates, photos and notifications. If you want the old Facebook Touch feeling of a simple, quick Facebook, Lite is the closest modern answer, and I've explained what Facebook Lite is and who it suits separately.
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What about mbasic.facebook.com?
mbasic was the very plain, low-data version of Facebook that some people preferred because it had no heavy scripts. On a desktop browser, mbasic.facebook.com now redirects to the main Facebook site, the same as touch.facebook.com. I couldn't confirm from any official Facebook source whether the basic version is still available on phones, so I won't promise it. If you need a light version, Facebook Lite is the option Meta officially supports.
My take on Facebook Touch for business owners
If you manage a business Page, don't go looking for Facebook Touch. Use the Facebook app on your phone and the full website on a computer, because that's where Page tools, scheduling and insights live. The mobile website is fine for a quick check when you're on someone else's phone. If your feed feels cluttered, the newer Feeds tab is a better fix than an old address, because it lets you see posts from friends, groups and Pages in order.
Frequently asked questions
What was Facebook Touch?
Facebook Touch was touch.facebook.com, a mobile website launched in October 2009 for touchscreen phones.
Is Facebook Touch still available?
Not as a separate product. Facebook merged it with m.facebook.com in 2011, although the old address still loads on a phone browser.
Is there a Facebook Touch app?
No. Facebook Touch was always a website, so treat any app using that name with caution.
What's the best alternative to Facebook Touch?
The Facebook app for most people, or Facebook Lite if you've got an older phone or a slow connection.
What's the difference between Facebook Touch and m.facebook.com?
In 2009, touch.facebook.com served touchscreen phones and m.facebook.com served keypad phones. Since 2011 they've been one adaptive site.
