- A "Poke" on Facebook is a way to grab the attention of your friend or say hello.
- To poke someone, you need to search for Pokes on Facebook > go to the Pokes page > tap the Poke button next to your friend's name.
- You can only poke someone who is on your Facebook friends list.
If you are new to Facebook and received a notification that a friend of yours poked you, then you might be wondering, what is all that about? What does Poke mean, and how do you respond to it? Don’t worry, in this read, we are going to help you understand this feature, and how you can poke one of your friends on Facebook.
What does Poke on Facebook mean?
Ever had a friend of yours poke you with their finger just to grab your attention back in your school days? Poke is just an online equivalent of the same thing. It is a way for your friends to get your attention or to say hello in case they are not in the mood to drop you a text. Your Facebook friends can send you a Poke, which sends you a blank notification saying “Your friend Poked You”.
This feature has existed since the early days of Facebook, and back then it was widely popular among its users. However, now that we have iMessage and other messaging platforms, it is uncommon to see people sending you a poke on the platform.
How Can i Poke Someone on Facebook
Even though the Poke feature has been available on the platform for ages, the way to use it has changed over the years. So, if you want to try it out for yourself or have come back to Facebook after a long hiatus, then follow this guide to learn how.
- On the Facebook app, tap on the search icon on the top right side.
- In the search bar, type “Pokes” and search for it.
- Tap on the Pokes page as shown in the screenshot below.
- It will show a list of your Facebook friends. Tap on the Poke button next to the person you wish to poke.
Once you poke someone, the button will be greyed out, meaning that you can’t send them multiple pokes. Remember, you can only poke the people in your Facebook friends list. So, if you want to poke someone you blocked or are not friends with them, you’ll have to unblock them on Facebook and add them as your friend to use the Poke feature.
How to Respond to a Poke on Facebook
When someone pokes you on Facebook, they might have to say hi to you, trying to get your attention, or might be interested in you. If it is one of your friends that you regularly talk to, then you can poke them back by tapping on the Poke notification. You can also drop them a text and say “hi” back.
If you have an extensive list of Facebook friends, half of them that you don’t even know personally, and one of them pokes you, then you can just ignore it and go about your day.
In a time when we have instant messaging, stickers, emojis, GIFs, memes, Reels, and Stories, poking is a feature that feels a little out of date. But I still find it fun and interesting nonetheless. Meta may also try to bring this feature to Instagram, which may lead to its comeback among Instagram audience. If you found this guide helpful, or if you miss the good old days of poking on Facebook, then drop us a comment below.
