Facebook Messenger is getting a variety of new features, as announced by Meta today. One exciting addition is the ability to send “HD Photos” in Messenger. Simply select an image you want to send, turn on the HD toggle that now appears, and then hit Send.
HD photos were recently introduced in WhatsApp, and it’s fantastic to see Meta’s other major messaging app adopting the same feature. HD photos received in Messenger will have an “HD” tag in the upper right corner, reassuring you that your eyes aren’t playing tricks.
Another new feature allows you to create shared albums with friends and family to add photos and videos. To create an album, select multiple photos in a group chat, then tap on Create Album (or long-press a photo in the chat and tap Create Album). You can add photos and videos to an existing album by tapping Add to Album. Moreover, you can also rename albums as you wish.
All members of a group chat can view, add, delete, and download photos and videos in a shared album. To access a chat’s shared album(s), tap the group chat name, then tap Media, and you’ll find them there. This feature will be launched in the coming weeks.
Excitingly, you can now add people to Messenger using a QR code. Everyone has one, which can be scanned to add a person or shared via a link.
Lastly, Messenger has increased its file size limit, now allowing files up to 100MB to be sent. All major formats are supported, including Word, PDF, Excel, and zip files – a feature that has been long overdue and is definitely a case of ‘better late than never’.