Facebook intends to turn its Messenger service into a one-stop platform for social media users, especially after the company decided to enable the Messenger to send and receive texts last year. This year, Facebook has introduced a flurry of new features. We bring to you six of the Messenger’s latest features along with tips on how to use them best.
Reactions
This new feature lets you react to messages with Emoji icons, very similar to how you can react to posts on Facebook. However, the choice of Emojis, of which there are seven, aren’t the same as the ones you’ll find on your Facebook app.
This new feature lets you react to messages with Emoji icons, very similar to how you can react to posts on Facebook. However, the choice of Emojis, of which there are seven, aren’t the same as the ones you’ll find on your Facebook app.
The new set of Emojis on Messenger now includes a thumb down, one which isn’t present in the Facebook app as well as a new ‘Love’ Emoji which isn’t just a heart shape but heart-shaped eyes on a round face. Common Emojis shared by both platforms are wow, sad, angry, thumbs up and haha.
Reactions lets you react to messages with Emoji icons, very similar to how you can react to posts on Facebook.
To use these Emojis on Messenger, all you need to do is to long-press on a message and select from any of the Emojis that crop up below. Once you select your favourite one, the person to whose message you responded will receive a specific notification.
Mentions
Mentions lets you to tag someone in a chat and post a comment or a question addressed to him/her specifically. All you need to do is to type the ‘@’ button followed by the name of the person you wish to tag.
Mentions lets you to tag someone in a chat and post a comment or a question addressed to him/her specifically. All you need to do is to type the ‘@’ button followed by the name of the person you wish to tag.
Mentions lets you to tag someone in a chat and post a comment or a question addressed to him/her specifically.
The person you tag will then receive a specific notification stating that you have mentioned him/her in a group chat or via a direct message. If you do not like this feature or abhor tagging specific people in a group chat, you can turn this feature off anytime you please.
Suggestions from M
This new feature in Facebook Messenger is presently available to users in the United States but will roll out to the rest of the world in the next few days. Since it involves a healthy dose of artificial intelligence support in your chats, we thought it better for you to get acquainted with it before it launches in India.
This new feature in Facebook Messenger is presently available to users in the United States but will roll out to the rest of the world in the next few days. Since it involves a healthy dose of artificial intelligence support in your chats, we thought it better for you to get acquainted with it before it launches in India.
M basically pops into your chats with helpful suggestions like emojis, links to websites, suggesting new apps, hailing a cab or even starting a poll! While it is not clear yet if users find it intrusive, there’s always a way out since you can mute it in M settings.
M basically pops into your chats with helpful suggestions like emojis, links to websites, suggesting new apps, hailing a cab or even starting a poll!
M adds flair to a conversation without the user actually doing anything extra. If you’re saying Hi to an old friend on Messenger, M will suggest a few emojis which you would like to use. If you’re discussing a future trip with your friends in a group chat, M will help you all coordinate and even suggest websites or available routes to your destination.
Live Location
This feature will help your friends and family to know your present location when needed. If you’re lost or waiting for a friend to pick you up from somewhere, you can instantly share your location with him on Messenger by simply tapping on the blue bar. Your location will be visible to the intended recipient for as long as 60 minutes.
This feature will help your friends and family to know your present location when needed. If you’re lost or waiting for a friend to pick you up from somewhere, you can instantly share your location with him on Messenger by simply tapping on the blue bar. Your location will be visible to the intended recipient for as long as 60 minutes.
Live Location will help your friends and family to know your present location when needed.
If you are an Android phone user, you will need to tap the Location icon or the More icon and then select Location. To stop sharing your location, simply tap on the ‘Stop Sharing’ icon. For iOS users, the method is more or less the same, except that you will get to see a map of your current location before you press the blue bar to share it with others.
Messenger Day
With Messenger Day, you can now share your best photos with your friends and family on Messenger and add art and effects on them the way you want to. On the home screen, you simply need to click on ‘Add to your day’ mentioned over a camera icon on the top left of the app. Once you click on it, you can either take a selfie, a groupie or a rear camera picture and add it to your daily experiences.
With Messenger Day, you can now share your best photos with your friends and family on Messenger and add art and effects on them the way you want to. On the home screen, you simply need to click on ‘Add to your day’ mentioned over a camera icon on the top left of the app. Once you click on it, you can either take a selfie, a groupie or a rear camera picture and add it to your daily experiences.
With Messenger Day, you can now share your best photos with your friends and family on Messenger and add art and effects on them the way you want to.
You can choose who gets to see your Messenger Day pictures and videos. Each new picture lasts for 24 hours on your page. You’ll also be able to include pictures on ‘Add to your day’ which you recently shared with others on Messenger or even conversations you recently shared on the app.
Group Payments
Announced yesterday, this new feature will let you send to and receive money from people in group chats. This feature isn’t available in India yet.
The new feature is presently available only to Android and desktop users. All a user needs to do is to enter a group conversation, tap on the plus sign on the bottom left corner and then tap on the payments icon. Users can also request payments from other group members, either as contributions for events or for other purposes, by specifying individual group members from whom the money is requested, the specific event or purpose which is to be funded and calculate the total money to be collected.
Group payments will let you send to and receive money from people in group chats.
Facebook has assured that the option is safe and secure and that users won’t need to remember their passwords to complete transactions. While this may get a while to get used to for some users, the feature may in future benefit from the surge in contactless transactions aided by e-wallets and other payment apps
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