Facebook Tips And Tricks You Should Know

Of the billions of people that use Facebook across world upon a daily basis, a fairly large number in addition to use its companion instant messaging service, the aptly named Facebook Messenger. It not lonely lets you chat taking into consideration your buddies handily, but with includes features to the lead voice/video calls, funky stickers, and then some more. And the fact that Facebook Messenger is a irate platform app (It even has a web relation that can be used in browser), unaccompanied makes it improved. But as amazing as it is, realize you think thats all theres to Facebook Messenger? Not really, as there are a lot of superior stuff hidden underneath. Check out this listing of some of the coolest Facebook tips and tricks, and you just might be surprised!

1. Mute chat notifications

Facebook Messenger’s constant chat notifications can (and do) get really intrusive and annoying, especially in certain situations when you don’t want to be disturbed. Thankfully, they can be easily muted, either for a specific time (15 mins – 24 hours), or until you un-mute them manually. To do this, tap and hold on the conversation (alternatively for iOS, swipe left on the conversation), go to Mutenotifications, and specify the time period for which you want to mute the notifications. Check out the companion screenshot above.

2. Create shortcuts for quickly accessing chat with contacts (Android only)

If there are certain Facebook Messenger contacts with whom you chat frequently, you can pin them to your Android device’s home-screen for quickly accessing chats with them. Simply tap and hold on the conversation from the contact who you want to pin, select the Create shortcut option, and you’re all set. Pinned contacts appear as chat heads on the Android device’s home-screen.

3. Disable chat heads (Android only)

While we’re on the topic, the floating chat heads are one of the most unique features of Facebook Messenger. They let you start chats quickly, without requiring Facebook Messenger to be launched. But if you find chat heads obtrusive, you can easily disable them. For this, tap on the gear icon to go to Facebook Messenger’s Settings, and un-check the Chat Heads option. It’s important to note that you can pin contacts as shortcuts (see previous tip), even with chat heads disabled.

4. Download photos and videos over Wi-Fi to save data

Apart from text messages and stickers, Facebook Messenger also lets you send/receive photos and videos. However, the received photos & videos are downloaded automatically, which can be quite a problem if you’re on the limited data plan. Thankfully, you can set Facebook Messenger to download photos and videos only over Wi-Fi, thus helping conserve data. Go to Facebook Messenger’s Settings > Photos & Media, and check the Use Less Data option. Easy, right?

5.Use device’s rear camera for video calls

Almost all smartphones these days have dedicated front cameras, for video calls (and of course, selfies). However, they are not as good as the primary or rear cameras. Good thing is, if you use Facebook Messenger for video calling your friends, you can use the rear camera as well. For this, just start a video call, and tap the camera icon on the top right corner to switch to the rear camera.

6. Play chess with contacts

Believe it or not, Facebook Messenger comes with a built-in mini chess game that you can play with your buddies. To start a game with a contact, send @fbchess as a message, and you’ll be presented with an inline chess game, with you and your contact taking turns to make moves. The game is not touch based, and can be played only by typing in commands. Type in @fbchess help to see the list of all the commands. Bet you didn’t know that!

Note: Facebook Messenger Commands are nothing but simple commands like the aforementioned @fbchess, which starts a cool chess game. Apparently, Facebook seems to be working on more such commands because when you type @ in a conversation, you get a list of commands available. At the moment, there are only a couple of commands: @fbchess and @dailycute.

From what we’ve heard, there was another cool command dubbed @holidaychallenge previously, so we can expect Facebook to keep changing these commands. The best option would be to simply keep checking the @ options time and again.

7. Send random cute animal images to contacts

No matter what the problem is, photos of cute dogs and cats can cheer anyone up. And with Facebook Messenger, you can help your friends lighten up a little bit with just that. Just send @dailycute as a message to a contact, and a random, Imgur hosted photo of a cute animal will be automatically sent to the contact. How cute is that?

8. Use multiple accounts with Facebook Messenger

This is yet another bonus for Messenger users. You can add multiple accounts to Facebook Messenger at the same time, and switch between accounts on the fly. The app automatically loads the chats, contact list etc. of the account that is currently active. For this, go to Settings > Accounts, and use the “+” icon on the top right corner to add another account to Facebook Messenger. You can even specify whether to require the account password or not, when switching accounts.

Note: Out of a total of three Android devices we tested Facebook Messenger on, this feature’s available only on one. Consequently, it’s possible that it is a feature about to come in future update(s) to Facebook Messenger.

9. View messages sent by Facebook users not in your friend list

Although Facebook Messenger is all about chatting with your buddies, you can also use it to check out messages sent by people who are not in your Facebook friends list. To view the messages, go to Facebook Messenger’s Settings > People > Message Requests. Easy as pie!

10.Integrate additional apps with Facebook Messenger

Even though Facebook Messenger is pretty awesome on its own, you can integrate a whole bunch of additional apps into it to enhance its functionality even more. Some of these apps include GIPHY, Memes, and The Weather Channel. It’s worth noting that you still need to install these separately from the Play Store. Once installed, the content created via these apps can be forwarded directly to Facebook Messenger, for sharing with contacts. To view the listing of available apps, open up any conversation, and tap on the “three dots” icon. After that, it’s all about hitting the “install” button corresponding to the app you want as companion for Facebook Messenger (check screenshot).

11.Hail Uber rides with Facebook Messenger

Uber has revolutionized the way we hail rides. And if you use Facebook Messenger, you don’t even need the official Uber app to order a ride with the service. Just open up a conversation, tap the “three dots” icon, and choose Transportation. You can even check on the driver’s updates, directly from Facebook Messenger. This can be of immense help if you and one (or more) of your friends are at separate locations, but need to share a ride. However, at present, the service is only available in the United States. Read more about it here.

12.Send & receive money with Facebook Messenger

Want to quickly loan a couple of bucks to/from a friend? Facebook Messenger is here to help. All you have to do is add a debit card (issued by US banks only) to your Facebook account, and use it to send/receive money, directly through Facebook Messenger. You can even use the app (Settings > Payments > Security) to add a PIN, for securing the transactions. Check here for detailed information on how to do it. Again, this feature (for now) is restricted to the US.

Technology News - Facebook Introduces 'Live Audio' Feature

Have something superb timely to share together with your Facebook target market, however don't want to go stay and display your face? the social network has simply the issue.

Facebook on tuesday added live audio, a new characteristic that helps you to "tell a tale … with words and no longer video." With this new alternative, you may cross stay on the platform with audio only -- ideal for the ones instances you have something to mention however do not need to expose your mug.

Related Topics: - Facebook Messenger introduced 6-screen group video chat with selfie masks

                           - Tricks to Use One WhatsApp Account On Two Phones

                      - Facebook opens analytics & FbStart to developers of Messenger’s 34,000 bots

                           - WhatsApp Suspends Giving Facebook European User Data

In a weblog publish, fb product specialist shirley ip and software program engineer Bhavana Radhakrishnan stated a few pages have already give you creative ways to head live with audio handiest, by affixing their camera on a nevertheless photograph in the course of their broadcast, as an instance. The characteristic ought to make it a lot easier. it can additionally be specifically beneficial when you're trying to go stay from a place with weak network connectivity, they said.

"From interviews to ebook readings, we are enthusiastic about the layer of interactivity that stay audio brings to each the broadcaster and listener," ip and radhakrishnan wrote. "we know that humans frequently like to listen to audio whilst doing different things; humans the use of android devices might be able to retain being attentive to a live audio broadcast despite the fact that they depart the facebook app or lock their telephones, at the same time as iOS listeners will be capable of preserve listening as they browse other elements of fb."

Facebook might be checking out the characteristic over the next few weeks with several partners, together with bbc international carrier, lbc, harper collins and authors adam grant and britt bennett. the new format must be extra widely to be had to publishers and those early subsequent year.

You'll be able to find out these stay audio publicizes right out of your information feed and engage with them similar to you may stay movies -- by means of asking questions and leaving reactions in actual time, and/or sharing the broadcast with buddies.

The new function comes after fb just closing week debuted live 360, which mixes live and 360-diploma videos.

Technology News - Facebook Messenger introduced 6-screen group video chat with selfie masks

Youngster app sensation Houseparty will get some opposition as fb Messenger is launching its personal break up-display institution video chat characteristic. Six users can seem in break up-display at the time and don Snapchat-style selfie mask, while 50 general can concentrate and communicate over voice while sending textual content, stickers, emojis, and GIFs.

The function should make a Messenger a place to “livechill” with friends instead of only a manner to send texts to alternate more utilitarian statistics or plan logistics. as opposed to simply popping in to fire off messages, you may cling out for extended periods on the app. facebook frames it as “perfect for the ones spontaneous moments in which text just isn’t enough”.

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Facebook to Open New London HQ, Create 500 New UK Jobs

group video chat starts rolling out worldwide on iOS, Android, and net, these days, although Android will have to wait for the MSQRD-powered selfie mask that might not ever come to computing device. It’s unfastened on wireless however widespread statistics expenses will practice on cell connections.

We’ve been waiting for this launch due to the fact Messenger launched one-on-one video calling in April 2015 and institution audio calling a yr later. 245 million humans make video calls on Messenger each month already, so this option ought to see speedy adoption.

The release makes Messenger the first famous western messaging app with organization video chat. It’s controlled to overcome FaceTime/iMessage, Google Duo, and Snapchat to the punch. Messaging pioneer WeChat brought it a year in the past. WhatsApp driven video calls final month, and may handle companies video thru Booyah. [Correction: WhatsApp lacks a native group video chat feature.] Google’s disregarded Hangouts app released a lot of these functions returned in 2013, however it hasn’t grow to be a middle area for textual content messaging, making it extra of a specialty app amongst Google’s fragmented conversation family.

facebook-organization-video-chatUS teens is probably maximum familiar with the format from the recent rise of Houseparty, the brand new app from the makers of Meerkat. We profiled Houseparty’s climb to one.2 million daily customers because it will become a laid-back “livechill” organization opportunity to laborious performances on live broadcasting apps like fb live. It’s in view that in brief climbed into the pinnacle 5 iOS apps and raised $50 million led by Sequoia.

Messenger group video chat works a touch in another way, but with a similar design. in place of absolutely logging into an ever-gift video chat room that notifies buddies like on Houseparty, you deliberately select pals or a group textual content thread to ask to a video call.

WhatsApp Suspends Giving Facebook European User Data

Facebook opens analytics and FbStart to developers of Messenger’s 34,000 bots

once in, as much as four Messenger customers can share huge slices of the display screen, even as Houseparty comprises eight. between 4 and six callers, the Messenger display switches to a gallery layout, with whoever is speaking taking over the majority of the screen with little thumbnails of all and sundry else at the lowest. And every body beyond the first 6 up to 50 callers will handiest be able to listen, communicate, and ship content however gained’t seem in the video gallery.

by means of embracing institution video chat, Messenger becomes more of a communication destination in preference to only a sporadically used device. in conjunction with its energetic Now characteristic, we should see it becoming greater of its own full-fledged actual-time social network, whilst fb proper becomes a hub for ingesting existing content material.

Technology News - Facebook to Open New London HQ, Create 500 New UK Jobs

Facebook will open a new London headquarters next year and create another 500 jobs, the leading social network said Monday, despite uncertainty over Brexit.

The group said the move will take its UK workforce to 1,500 staff, adding that Britain "remains one of the best places to be a tech company", amid ongoing jitters over the nation's looming exit from the European Union.

The news comes one week after US tech giant Google confirmed it would expand its vast London campus in a move that could bring 3,000 more jobs.

The Facebook announcement will be confirmed later at the annual meeting of top business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry, which is the country's top employers' organisation.

"The UK remains one of the best places to be a tech company and is an important part of Facebook's story," said Nicola Mendelsohn, the company's vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"We came to London in 2007 with just a handful of people, by the end of next year we will have opened a new HQ and plan to employ 1500 people," she added in a statement.

"Many of those new roles will be high skilled engineering jobs as the UK is home to our largest engineering base outside of the US."

A spokeswoman added that the new office is currently under construction in the bohemian central district of Fitzrovia.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the news from the US giant.

"Facebook's decision to expand in London is further evidence that London's strength as a tech hub keeps on growing," Khan said.

"It follows news that London remains the best city in Europe for digital startups.

"The capital's vibrant tech scene is the envy of Europe and Facebook's continuing commitment is another sign that London is open to talent, innovation and entrepreneurship from all four corners of the world."

Last Tuesday, Google revealed it will add a new office building to a complex currently under development behind London's King's Cross train station.

An estimated 3,000 jobs will be created by the move. A total of 7,000 Google staff will eventually be working at the hub, which is set to open in 2018.

WhatsApp Suspends Giving Facebook European User Data

WhatsApp has temporarily suspended giving parent company Facebook information about users in Europe for ad targeting, responding to concerns there over privacy, a source close to the matter said Tuesday.

Conversations with officials in Europe over the past few months resulted in the social network deciding to only tapping into WhatsApp user data there for purposes such as fighting spam, according to the source.

The break was described as an effort to give regulators time to share privacy concerns and for Facebook to consider ways to address them.

German data protection authorities in September cited privacy concerns when they blocked Facebook from collecting subscriber data from WhatsApp there.

"It has to be (the users') decision whether they want to connect their account with Facebook," Hamburg's Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Johannes Caspar said at the time.

"Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance."

WhatsApp announced in August that it would begin sharing data with Facebook, in a bid to allow better targeted advertising and to combat spam on the platform.

Users of the instant messenger were given the ability to opt out of sending information to Facebook through settings in WhatsApp's applications on smartphones.

European data protection group G29 formally expressed its concerns at the end of October.

The G29 sent letters asking Facebook and WhatsApp to stop sharing data until appropriate legal safeguards were in place.

The sharing of WhatsApp user information with Facebook went beyond what subscribers consented to in the original terms of service, the G29 reasoned.

Facebook bought WhatsApp about two years ago in a deal valued about $19 billion.

In mid-September, the European Commission recommended tighter privacy and security requirements for services including WhatsApp and Microsoft-owned video calling service Skype, saying they should be regulated more like traditional telecoms.

Under the proposal, the commission would require companies like WhatsApp or Skype to offer emergency-calling services when customers dial traditional phone numbers as well as obey stricter privacy rules.

Facebook opens analytics and FbStart to developers of Messenger’s 34,000 bots

Facebook has been putting a lot of effort into growing Messenger as a bot platform this year, and now there are 34,000 of these bots in existence, built to present you with news and entertainment, let you shop, and more — expanding Messenger’s use beyond simple chats with friends. Today, that strategy is getting a significant boost: Facebook says it will now let developers track bots on its free analytics platform, alongside ads and apps. At the same time, Facebook is also opening up its developer program, FbStart, to bot developers.

Both potentially give bot makers more reasons to build and monitor how their new widgets are working.

Josh Twist, a product manager for Facebook Messenger’s bot efforts, who is an Englishman based in Seattle but is in London today to debut the tools at a developer event, tells me that Facebook expanded the analytics and FbStart tools after a lot of requests from the developers.

“Getting bot support for messenger is the most frequently requested feature from bot developers,” he said. This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise: Facebook already provided these kinds of tools to other developers on its platform, and bots have seen a massive surge of interest since they first made their debut earlier this year. That interest has not just come from users curious about how they work; developers are also very keen to see if bots really are the next big thing.

Twist tells me that for now, the analytics will cover bots built just for Messenger. But given how bots are making their way to other communication platforms, from competing messaging apps like Viber’s through to enterprise-focused platforms like Slack, don’t be surprised if Facebook expands its both analytics to other platforms beyond Messenger.

“It is something we have talked about and haven’t ruled it out,” he said. “It’s possible, absolutely, since we already support analytics for other platforms for apps. But right now we’re prioritizing support for Messenger bots.”

Analytics, of course, is an essential tool for a developer, both to be able to track how well something is working and other kids of feedback. Here Facebook says that features that will be included are reaches across mobile and desktop devices and measurement of customers’ journeys across apps and websites.

Developers also will be able to view reports on messages sent, messages received, and people who block or unblock your app. And they will also get access to anonymized data reports on bot demographics, which include details like age, gender, education, interests, country and language to figure out who is using your bot.

FbStart, meanwhile, currently has some 9,000 members who get feedback from Facebook on their apps, ads and bots, as well as Facebook ads credits and other free tools from partners like Amazon, Dropbox, and Stripe. If Facebook was looking at ways of swelling those ranks, tapping 34,000 developers could be one way of doing that.

Twist points out that while there are a lot of standalone bot developers coming to Facebook for the first time, there is a lot of crossover with other Facebook services like apps and ads. Those who are leveraging these together — for example using the recent ability to channel a person from a News Feed ad through to your Messenger experience — will be able to look at the effectiveness of those efforts now, and make potentially more ad buys based on them.

Facebook+ Lite Breaks Out of Browsers

It may seem strange that the first thing the store page for Facebook+ Lite tells you is that the app lets you scroll through your newsfeed vertically  – rather than the side to side scrolling that has been adopted by the Windows 8 Start screen and the vast majority of apps.

This may seem like a minor selling point – although the app is actually free – but it certainly gets things off to a good start for anyone who is slightly resistant to the new app format. Facebook is constantly open in a browser tab on my desktop, and I’ll try any app that grants me easy, constant access to the social network.

In a bid to try to keep up to date with my friends’ updates, news from all of the companies I ‘like’ and everything else that goes on on Facebook, I’ve tried everything from Facebook Messenger to browser extensions such as Facebook Notifications.

Nothing I’ve tried has ended up remaining installed for very long, and I always resort to keeping a tab pinned in Chrome so my social networking fix is never far away. Working with Windows 8 means that there are now more apps to try out, so I just had to try out Facebook+ Lite.

Introducing the App

The first task you have is to sign into your Facebook account and then allow the app permission to access your data. Within a matter of seconds you will be connected and you’ll start to see content from some familiar names and faces.

News and updates from your Facebook contacts are displayed in massive, clear tiles.

Despite the app’s initial claim that you can browse your feed using vertical scrolling, this is not the case throughout. In fact, right from the start you will have to scroll to the right if you want t0 access your list of friends, your photos and events.

Click the Feed title, or an item that has been highlighted in a tile, and you’ll be taken directly to your newsfeed. It is at this stage that you can start working through things vertically just like on the web site.

Switching between horizontal and vertical scrolling can be a little disconcerting to start with.

Newsfeed items are displayed to the left hand side of the screen and when you click an individual entry, it will be displayed in more detail to the right. This includes any comments that have been posted and gives you the option to leave comments of your own and using the Like button.

The interface of the app is far from cluttered, and when you’re working in feed view there are just three buttons at the top of the screen. These can be used to uploaded photos, refresh the feed or post a status update.

A stylish faded view mutes distractions when you are writing a status update.

As well as sharing your words with the world – interestingly, there is no way to choose who is able to see individual posts – you can also insert images that you have already added to albums or upload others from your hard drive.

Keeping In Touch

While many people use Facebook as little more than a platform for opining, venting spleen and sharing thoughts, ideas and photos, it could be argued that the social side – outside of commenting – is one of the more useful aspects of the service.

Back at the start screen, notifications can be accessed much like at the Facebook website.

Leaving your feed and heading back to the main screen, you can use two buttons at the top of the app window to view your notifications and messages. Annoyingly, clicking a messages take you to the Facebook website as there is no way to post from within the app.

Want to exchange messages with friends? Sadly you’ll have to leave the app and use the website instead.

Extra Features

Photos have always featured heavily on Facebook, and Facebook+ Lite provides you with a great way to browse through your own images and those belonging to your friends.

Perusing a photo album is a pleasurable experience – one that is superior to how things are on the regular website – and playing a slideshow looks amazing when running at full screen.

One of Facebook+ Lite’s high points is the ease of navigating photo albums.

For anyone who finds that they are constantly checking Facebook throughout the day (and I do count myself in this number), pinning the app to the side of the screen is a wonderful option.

Anchored to the left or right of the screen, you can choose to have your newsfeed on permanent display so you can see it no matter what else you are doing and whatever app you may be using.

Pin the app to the screen edge so you can monitor your newsfeed at all times.

Areas For Work

It would make much more sense if Facebook+ Lite chose between sideways and top to bottom scrolling. Working with both can end up being confusing and creates a disjointed feeling.

Another way in which the app could be improved would be adding the option to choose which section of your account should appear to start with. Most people want to jump straight to their newsfeed, and it would make sense to be able to choose this as the default view.

Summing Up

Facebook+ Lite has a little way to go before it could be considered perfect, but it’s a solid app nevertheless.

How do you access Facebook now that you’ve upgraded to Windows 8? Are you using a dedicated app or are you still using the website? Let us know in the comments below.