Meta operates one of the largest consumer social platforms in the world, with Facebook serving billions of users across diverse age groups, geographies, and technical comfort levels. Facebook’s mobile app remains a core entry point for new users, and first-session onboarding has an outsized impact on activation, trust, and long-term retention.
Meta is seeing weaker-than-expected activation among new Facebook mobile app signups in several growth markets. Internal funnel data shows that while 100% of new users start onboarding, only 62% complete account setup, 41% reach a personalized Feed, and just 24% perform a meaningful first-week action such as adding a friend, joining a Group, or posting. Qualitative research suggests users feel overwhelmed by permissions requests, unclear setup steps, and too many choices before they understand the app’s value.
You are asked to evaluate Facebook’s current mobile onboarding flow and identify the biggest usability issues. Your goal is not just to point out UI flaws, but to determine which onboarding problems matter most for user value, trust, and activation — and recommend what Meta should change first.