iOS app URL scheme for Facebook Messenger

Question

I want to share my app URL scheme via FB Messenger , my URL scheme is myapp .
The problem is, when I send the message: myapp://?param1=1234 , FB Messenger shows the message as plain text and not as a link.

My question is, what should I do to FB Messenger recognize my URL Scheme ?

Answer 1

Facebook Messenger doesn't see custom URL schemes as hyperlinks, which is why they're being shown as plain text. Even if they were, those links would break for anyone who doesn't have the app installed so it would lead to a somewhat unpleasant user experience.

What you probably want to do instead is wrap your custom URL scheme links inside a standard HTTP link by using a redirect. If you add some fallback logic, you can even send visitors without the app installed to the app store to get it.

Branch.io (full disclosure: I'm on the team) can handle all of this for you and also does what is known as 'deferred deep linking', which means you can still route users without the app to the correct page after they have downloaded it.