facebook messenger – PSafe Blog

6 Things You Didn’t Know About Facebook Messenger

PSafe Newsroom — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 00:00:12 +0000

Every 20 minutes, 3 million messages are sent using Facebook Messenger. That’s a lot of communication being passed back and forth. One way to manage all the GIFs, photo or files you receive from your friends, is by using the Facebook Messenger Cleaner to rid yourself of old files:

As you keep Messenger optimized with Facebook Messenger Cleaner, you may not be aware there are many benefits that this chat app has to offer — no tech expertise required. Check them out below.

Use Messenger Without a Facebook Account

Just like with WhatsApp, you can join Facebook Messenger only using your mobile number.

Chat with Companies and Groups

When on mobile, you can easily start chats with companies and even learn new skills. Open Messenger on your Android and look at the bottom of your screen. Click on the hexagon-shaped icon on the far right to get started. These ChatBots can help you pick out gifts, improve your vocabulary, answer company-specific questions, and save you money on trips.

Search Through Conversations

Whenever you’re on your PC and need to look back through your message history for a specific piece of information, open your chat in Messenger. Click on the settings icon on the pop-up chat screen to access this. You’ll then see a “Search in Conversation” option on the right-hand side of your screen.

Mark Items as Unread

If you accidentally open a message you are not ready to reply to, easily mark it as unread so that you remember to return to it later. To do this, open Messenger on your PC, click on the settings icon, and select “Mark as Unread.”

Make Plans with Your Contacts

Create calendar events in your chat windows and have Facebook remind you and your friends of plans. On mobile Messenger, open a conversation, click on the information logo on the top left, and select “Plan.” Select the date and time and it will automatically appear in your chat window. Click on the bubble that appears to add a plan name and location.

Securely Send Money

Pay your friends back for dinner or request money from the guy who’s buying your old phone with just a few clicks. Simply open up your chat window, select the “$” sign, and enter the amount. No bank account or card information is exchanged. Just set up a payment and receiving method in your personal settings.

Facebook is Adding Encryption to Messenger

PSafe Newsroom — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 17:52:12 +0000

In 2016, it seems to some as if the use of Facebook’s Messenger is antiquated after the Google Play market became saturated with convenient messenger apps such as WhatsApp. As a result, Facebook is working hard to bring their messenger back to the forefront of the market. Among these efforts is the introduction of encryption for Facebook Messenger. This feature allows the user to enter a “secret mode” that encrypts their messages and protects them from outsiders. These secret conversations add end-to-end encryption from all the messengers. Thus, you can only access the secret conversation from the gadget you used to send it. For example, if you initiated the encrypted message on your laptop, that is the only device you could use to open the message.

However, Facebook has a long way to go if they wish to reclaim dominance over the messenger market. WhatsApp already has over 1 billion users worldwide. WeChat is the mobile messenger system popular in China. Line is a common messenger system in Japan, and Kakao is used widely throughout South Korea. There is hope for Facebook Messenger when you consider its other unique innovations, though. For instance, you can now conveniently request an Uber for you or your friend through the application. The messenger app can also show GIFs.

Read more: Your Digital Footprint and Why it Matters

Facebook Messenger has yet to bring in any profit, because Facebook does not try to collect revenue until a feature accumulates 1 billion users. In late 2015, Facebook Messenger fell short with 700 million users.

Facebook is already looking ahead at future endeavors that could help Facebook Messenger profit if it does reach 1 billion users. At Facebook’s developer conference in April, the idea of “bots” was introduced. These bots would represent local agencies that would message a user if they were nearby. The bots would utilize algorithms to tailor their messages to the desired audience. There could also be news bots that would message their frequent viewers whenever there is breaking news.

Facebook is constantly attempting to innovate their messenger so that they can surpass the competition. Facebook Messenger’s encryption, among several other innovations presented by Facebook, should be sufficient to keep Facebook Messenger competitive.

What Does Facebook Messenger’s Check Mark Mean?

PSafe Newsroom — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 20:58:44 +0000

Decoding different icons, and their meanings for each new social media site can be exhausting, especially when it feels like there are new updates every day. The illustrations associated with each platform may seem unnecessary, but we need to understand them in order to take full advantage of what these platforms have to offer. The most recent signage that is befuddling users everywhere is the series of blue check marks used on Facebook Messenger. For those who are overwhelmed by what these icons could possibly mean, here is your quick guide:

What are they?
The icons in Facebook Messenger are used to tell you when your messages have been sent, delivered, and read. They are little blue circles, located at the far right of the message you just sent. If you have sent a string of messages, the icon will only appear after the last message, but will represent the group as a whole.

What’s the difference?
There are four different types of circles. The first is simply a white circle with a blue outline. If you see this icon next to your message, it means the message is still sending. The second is a white circle with a blue outline, and a blue checkmark. This means the message has been sent, but is not yet delivered, and the recipient cannot view it. The third is a filled-in blue circle with a white checkmark, which means your message has been delivered, and is currently on the recipient’s phone, though he or she is yet to view it. The final icon is a circle with a small version of your friend’s profile photo inside. This means they have read the message, and are (hopefully) responding!

How can you use them?
Besides being able to track when your friend receives your messages, and keep track of the conversation as a whole, these insignias also make sure your Facebook Messenger app is fully functional. For example, if you are stuck between the “message sending,” and the “message sent” icons for an extended period of time, it may suggest that either your Messenger app isn’t working, or you are in an area with poor service. Similarly, if your message has been sent, but remains undelivered for an extended period of time, it may suggest that something is wrong with the recipient’s device, or service.

Stay in the Know
Staying constantly updated is part of the package when it comes to social media these days. Make sure you check out the dfndr blog to see which updates are coming to your Android phone, and find out how you can take advantage. Then download dfndr security, so it’s not only your Messenger that’s working in top shape.

How to Turn off the Facebook Messenger Emojis on Android

PSafe Newsroom — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 20:00:35 +0000

The influx of new emoji variations has taken the technological world by storm. So many apps have their own set of emojis to choose from, so you can express the full range of your emotions with cute, miniature graphics. On June 2, Facebook Messenger for Android, iOS, and Desktop was updated to include 1,500 new emojis! This new set of emojis includes more skin tone options, and more female figures. Although this may sound like great news, the Facebook masses aren’t too happy about the change.

Helping or Hurting

Many have objected to this recent Messenger update, as the emojis are criticized for being less realistic, and more pictorial than the previous options. This falls in line with a general criticism that more and more app updates seem unnecessary, or irrelevant. This addition has also been criticized for replacing the emoji options already available on different devices. Once updated, the user only has access to the emoji keyboard associated with the Messenger app.

Many critics of this new set of emojis want to disable the keyboard so they can use the emoji settings on their device, or another set of emojis entirely. This is an option for both Android, and iOS users.

How to Turn off the New Emojis

Initially, the Messenger app will ask, while updating, if you wish to include the new emojis. There is an option to click “Turn Off” when on this screen, to get rid of this part of the update. However, if you have already updated, and the new emojis have already taken over, you can still deactivate the keyboard.

To disable the new Messenger emojis, follow these easy steps:

1. Open the Messenger app on your device.

2. Click on the “Me” option at the bottom of the screen, and choose the “Photos and Media” tab.

3. Click on the off side of the “Messenger Emoji” button to disable the feature.

After following these steps, you should be able to use any emoji keyboard on your device, rather than be restricted to those available solely on the app.

The More You Know

If you are interested in learning more about the Facebook Messenger app, or about Android keyboards in general, the PSafe blog can help. Check out our blog post on Facebook Messenger’s hidden games feature, and hidden messages. Then, read up on the many other keyboards available for your smartphone. Want to write with GIFs instead of emojis? Where there’s a will, there’s a way!