Facebook debugger: why complaining about app_id missing

Question

While using the facebook debugger, it complains:

Warning fb:app_id hasn't been included in the meta tags. Specify the app ID so that stories shared to Facebook will be properly attributed to the app. Alternatively, app_id can be set in url when open the share dialog. Otherwise, the default app id( 966242223397117 ) will be assigned.

I don't understand why I have such a message, since I don't have an app_id for my website, and I shouldn't need why since I'm not doing any facebook connect or using any of their plugin.

Am I missing something, or is it simply that facebook wants to push me to create an app for my website?

I share with you the same concerns. Besides, I believe that most of the URLs analyzed in the debugger come from websites without any relation with apps. — Marco Panichi, May 10 '16 at 09:32

Bunty · Answer 1 · 2019-09-20T05:34:26.177

67

You need to add this into your head tag in HTML source

<meta property="fb:app_id" content="XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" />

That is default app id.

Replace XXX With your app id

edited Sep 20 '19 at 05:34

answered Aug 01 '16 at 06:23

Bunty

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Upvoted because I do have an app_id and as the first link for the error message, this answer helps me out most. : ) – Alexander Varwijk Aug 14 '16 at 17:47
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Except for setting up the app_id which `Product` should I add to my application in the Facebook application dashboard? – W.M. Feb 18 '18 at 20:56
@Bunty - HTML source? where it is? – Arnold Brown Sep 03 '19 at 05:14
@ArnoldBrown Add this into head tag. – Bunty Sep 20 '19 at 05:35

score 54 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

54

If you don't have an app to associate the website to, then that warning can be ignored.

For an example of a successful website which doesn't have a fb:app_id included, you can run a debug on this stackoverflow page's URL within the Facebook Object debugger, you will see that it also produces the same warning message.

The posts themselves will generally appear the same as they are represented at the bottom of the debugger tool.

edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

Community

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answered Jan 28 '16 at 16:10

PaulieTree

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Thanks. Am I losing something by not creating the associated facebook app? Like post configuration, visibility, whatever? – Augustin Riedinger Jan 28 '16 at 16:13
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You might lose out on analytical data (called **Inslights** on Facebook). You can get around this by attaching your [Facebook ID to the page's meta data](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/platforminsights/domains), that will allow you to view the insight data. If you ever wanted anyone else to also use your page insights, you'd also need to add their Facebook ID. If you were to use a Facebook app instead, you can just grant permissions and remove permissions to the other users from within your app on https://developers.facebook.com/apps/ – PaulieTree Jan 28 '16 at 16:26
@PaulieTree Why do I need an ID? – tpbafk Feb 04 '20 at 07:42
@tpbafk you don't **need** an ID. Having an ID allows the actions associated with the Facebook Object will be attributed back to your Facebook App (via it's `app_id`). Mostly it is good for Facebook Insights analytical information. The [https://developers.facebook.com/tools/debug/og/object/](Facebook Object) debugger can give more information by scraping a web page to see what can be parsed from the meta data. – PaulieTree Feb 05 '20 at 18:06
@PaulieTree Incorrect, the warning says "required properties", required implies that there will be an error incase it is not complied with. So yes, you *need* an ID, without ID it may soon stop working. That is exactly what Google maps did few years ago. – Keval Domadia Jan 26 '22 at 10:23

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 01 '21 at 06:43

This means your page is missing the fb:app_id meta tag.

Missing Properties The following required properties are missing: fb:app_id

You must use the fb prefix (the og prefix won't work!)

The meta tag should look like this (replace the app id "474629550209194" below with your own)

<meta property="fb:app_id" content="474629550209194">

The meta tag is fb:app_id - og:app_id (open graph) won't work.

Facebook debugger: why complaining about app_id missing

3 Answers3

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