Facebook is making chatting with friends on its companion messaging app even easier by launching a new feature that would eliminate the need to search through all your contacts to start a conversation.
By scanning a special code on Facebook Messenger, users will be able to pull up that newly added friend without having to manually type in their name or scroll through their friend list.
The codes can also be used to bring up business accounts, which will come in handy since Facebook allows businesses to connect with its customers via Messenger to provide them with customer service. It was just announced that Newegg will now start speaking directly to its users through the app.
These "Messenger Codes" work similarly to Snapchat codes, known as Snaptags, which allow users to add new friends by just scanning the image.
It's not yet clear where the codes will be displayed, but we do know that it will be made of a user's profile photo, complete with tiny dots that are digitally read by Facebook in order to bring up that specific person in Messenger.
Assuming they will be featured on a person's Facebook page, the user would just scan the code and seamlessly start chatting. The idea is that Facebook wants us to be able to start communicating with others in its app as quickly as possible.
If the user is not already friends with the person they want to talk to, Facebook will send a notification for a message request that has to be accepted before the two can chat.
Along with the new Codes for Messenger, Facebook is also launching Messenger Links. These links will send Messenger users to that account's Facebook profile page.
Both of the new Messenger features make it easy to bounce between the main app and Messenger when it comes to finding and chatting with friends.
Messenger Codes and Messenger Links will start rolling out on Thursday, April 7.
Facebook Messenger seems to be staying in the news as of late. Facebook Messenger recently added airline features, and already allows users to order an Uber ride directly from the app. There are reports that it may launch its own in-store payment feature in Messenger and may also be working on an encrypted messaging feature.
