Major change to Facebook which affects all UK users - check your phone now

26 January 2024 , 06:34

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Major change to Facebook which affects all UK users - check your phone now

If you use Facebook Messenger to keep in touch with friends and family you might suddenly notice some major changes appearing within this chat app. Facebook announced late last year that it was adding a swathe of new features and security upgrades to this popular platform and it seems the revamp is finally appearing in the UK.

So what’s new in Messenger? Perhaps the most important addition to Messenger is default end-to-end encryption for personal messages and calls. This makes sure that everything that’s sent is totally secure and can’t be read or intercepted by third parties. Messenger has had the option for people to turn on end-to-end encryption since 2016, but things are now changing so private chats and calls across will automatically get this feature.

“The extra layer of security provided by end-to-end encryption means that the content of your messages and calls with friends and family are protected from the moment they leave your device to the moment they reach the receiver’s device.," Facebook explained. "This means that nobody, including Meta, can see what’s sent or said, unless you choose to report a message to us.”

Facebook Messenger update (FACEBOOK)

Another important change to security is a new PIN code setting which you’ll be asked to set up once the update arrives on your device. Facebook says that when your chats are upgraded, you will be prompted to set up a recovery method, such as a PIN, so you can restore your messages if you lose, change or add a device. Once again, this should stop anyone other than you from being able to log in and read your private conversations.

It’s not just about security though with Facebook also adding some nifty new functionality as well. There’s now the option to edit messages after they have been sent and Disappearing messages on Messenger now last for 24 hours. There are also new read receipt controls that allow you to decide if you want others to see when you have read their messages.

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If you love posting images then photos and videos are now easier to access and there's upgraded image quality. Messenger has also added fun layouts and introduced more controls so you can reply or react to any photo or video in a collection.

Finally, you can now play voice messages at 1.5x or 2x speeds, pick up listening to a voice message from where you left off, and continue listening to a voice message when you navigate away from the chat or the app. Check your phone now for the latest version of Messenger.

Dave Snelling