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Meta is testing Forum, a standalone app that brings a user’s Facebook Groups together and adds tools for finding conversations and recognizing helpful members. The app is available in the US on iOS and Android; the company has not announced a wider release or detailed its plans beyond the current tests.
Meta is testing new features in Forum, its standalone app for Facebook Groups, adding an AI-powered tool for finding recommendations and a role that recognizes members whose contributions help their communities. The app is available in the United States on iOS and Android, giving group members another way to follow discussions and discover communities.
Meta describes Forum as a purpose-built app for people who want to spend more time in Facebook Groups. It syncs with a user’s Facebook groups and brings them together in one place, where members can see what is new and join discussions. Users sign in with their Facebook account. The app also lets people discover new groups, including public groups they have not joined.
One feature under test, called Ask, uses AI to surface existing posts and comments from groups in response to questions. Meta says it can show discussions from groups a person already belongs to as well as public groups, and users can open a discussion directly from the results. New Ask features are designed to compare recommendations and suggest questions based on recent searches.
Meta is also testing topic labels on posts, such as Solo Travel or Korean Food. Tapping a label brings up more conversations on that subject. Separately, a new member role is replacing contributor badges and the group expert role. Meta says admins can grant it, and the company will nominate members to help admins identify people whose contributions are useful. Members are notified when they receive the role and can remove themselves.
A Separate Home for Group Discussions
Forum gives Meta a dedicated place for people who use Facebook Groups regularly, while keeping the groups connected to their Facebook accounts. The app’s tools focus on finding relevant discussions and making it easier to move from a question to existing conversations. For users, that could reduce the effort of searching across groups; for admins, the recognition role offers another way to identify and encourage helpful participation.
The features remain tests, so their effect on group activity and the quality of answers has not been established. Ask highlights material already posted by members, according to Meta. Its value will depend on whether results accurately reflect those discussions and make their source clear to users. Meta says posts from members with the new role remain subject to its Community Standards.
Forum’s May Test Expands
Meta says it started testing Forum in May 2026 and is now introducing additional features. Its announcement presents the app as a way to go deeper on Facebook Groups, rather than as a replacement for Facebook. Group membership and discussions remain tied to Facebook, and logging in with a Facebook account is required.
The new recognition role replaces two earlier forms of group recognition: contributor badges and the group expert role. Meta says the new role reflects the quality and value of contributions, including answering questions, sharing firsthand experiences, offering practical advice and starting conversations. The company has not provided details in the announcement about how it measures those contributions or how consistently the role will be applied across groups.
““Forum is a purpose-built app we’re exploring for the people who want to go deeper on Facebook Groups.””
— Meta
Reach and Test Details Remain Open
Meta has not said when Forum might become available outside the United States, or whether it plans a broader release. The announcement also does not specify how many people are testing the app, which groups or users can access each feature, or when the tests might end.
Further details about Ask are also limited. Meta says the tool uses AI to highlight existing group posts and comments, but has not explained in this announcement how it ranks results, how it handles inaccurate or conflicting advice, or what safeguards apply when surfacing discussions from public groups. The precise criteria for granting the new role and the nomination process are not detailed.
Meta Plans More Admin Updates
Meta says it will share more about how it is building tools for group admins in the coming weeks. It also says it wants to hear from the Forum community as development continues. For now, people in the United States can download the app on iOS or Android and sign in with Facebook; Meta has not given a date for the next update or a decision on wider availability.
Key Questions
What is Forum?
Forum is a standalone app that brings a person’s Facebook Groups together in one place. It syncs with Facebook and requires a Facebook account to sign in.
Where can people download it?
Meta says Forum is available on iOS and Android in the United States. The company has not announced availability in other countries.
What does Ask do?
Ask uses AI to highlight existing posts and comments from Facebook Groups in response to questions. It can include discussions from groups a user has joined and public groups they have not joined.
How does a member get the new role?
Admins can grant the role to members whose contributions they consider helpful, and Meta says it will also nominate members. Recipients are notified and can remove themselves at any time.
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