But if you use Facebook exclusively on a desktop computer or an iPad, you might be missing out on some of the fun. After Facebook executive Fidji Simo announced the Avatar rollout last week, a number of users responded to say that the feature didn’t seem to be available to them yet.
So what is happening? A Facebook spokesperson contacted for comment clarified that it is not possible to create an Avatar on a desktop or tablet computer and that you need a mobile device to create one. For those users who either don’t have smartphones or who have disabled the Facebook app from their mobile devices because of privacy issues, that’s unfortunate, or because they really don’t like the temptation to have Facebook in their pocket. When it plans to roll out Avatar production skills on non-phone platforms, Facebook declined to reveal.
There’s some good news, though according to Facebook, “you can send comments and Messenger stickers from the desktop once your Avatar is created on your mobile device.” So while you can’t create one on a desktop, once it’s created, you can still use your Avatar on a desktop. One workaround might be briefly loading Facebook on your phone, creating the Avatar, and then deleting the app once it’s made.
Facebook also shared more detailed instructions on all the different ways to create a new Avatar:
- Avatar Post: Below each Avatar post, there is a “Try It” button
- Avatar Sticker: Tap on an Avatar sticker if you see one shared from a friend on Facebook
- Bookmark: To create or edit your Avatar, go to your Bookmark (the three horizontal lines at the bottom right of your screen), click “See More,” and select “Avatars”
- From the Comment Composer: To create or edit your Avatar, go to the Facebook or Messenger comment composer (‘Write a comment’), click on the smiley face icon, and click “Make Your Avatar” to get started
Facebook says it’s possible to edit existing Avatars from your Facebook profile, comment maker, bookmark, or Avatar sticker. Another limitation: “The development of Avatar from Messenger is currently only available for Android, but will soon be rolled out on iOS.”
