Facebook announced cross-app communication integration to Instagram and Messenger. Facebook updated to more than 10 new features so you can stay close to your friends.
Selfie stickers are a unique hybrid of Boomerang, emojis, and selfies, and a new way to react to conversations. With Watch Together you can watch trending videos with friends on IGTV during a video call. The new vanish mode allows you to set messages to automatically disappear after they’re seen.
Now, you don’t need to download a new app, because you can now reach on Instagram using a Messenger app, and vice versa. You can now control where you receive messages and calls, such as in your chats, in your message requests.
The company also brings some features from Messenger like replying to a specific message, forwarding a message, and customizable chat colors and themes. Also, you can now use custom emoji reactions, and soon, message effects to put more emotion and visual flair behind your reactions and messages. The custom emoji reactions and selfie stickers will be available on Instagram first, and soon after it will be coming to Messenger.
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Here are some features that are coming to the new Messenger experience on Instagram:
- Communicate Across Apps: Seamlessly connect with friends and family across Instagram and Messenger by using either app to send messages and join video calls.
- Watch Together: Enjoy watching videos on Facebook Watch, IGTV, Reels (coming soon!), TV shows, movies, and more with friends and family during a video call.
- Vanish Mode: Choose a mode where seen messages disappear after they’re seen or when you close the chat.
- Selfie Stickers: Create a series of boomerang stickers with your selfie to use in conversation.
- Chat Colors: Personalize your chats with fun color gradients.
- Custom Emoji Reactions: Create a shortcut of your favorite emojis to react quickly to messages from friends.
- Forwarding: Easily share great content with up to five friends or groups.
- Replies: Respond directly to a specific message in your chat and keep the conversation flowing.
- Animated Message Effects: Add visual flair to your message with animated send effects.
- Message Controls: Decide who can message you directly, and who can’t message you at all.
- Enhanced Reporting and Blocking Updates: Now you can report full conversations in addition to single messages on Instagram, and receive proactive blocking suggestions across Instagram and Messenger when you add your accounts in the new Accounts Center.
Apart from these features, you will have choice and controls to manage your privacy, including whether message requests go to your Chats list, your Message Request folder, or whether you receive them at all. Facebook will be offering tools for people to report suspicious activity, and take action to block someone across apps to stop unwanted messages and calls when something doesn’t feel right.
We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article at no cost to you, though all opinions are our own. For more information, please read our ethics statement. Please note that pricing and availability are subject to change.
