Facebook begins cross-platform chats between Instagram and Messenger

Facebook allows users of Instagram and Facebook Messenger to send messages to each other. Instagram’s messaging system is also being overhauled with some Messenger features. For the time being this applies to ‘a number of countries’, later this will be released worldwide.

Instagram users do not need a Facebook account to communicate with Messenger users, the company reports. Instagram users can also choose to decline the update that makes cross-platform chats possible for the time being.

Users who do opt for the new features will also be able to chat and video call with Messenger users in Instagram. Users can decide from whom they want to receive chat requests. Instagram users can therefore also search for Facebook users via that platform in the future and vice versa.

Instagram’s chat feature also gets some features from Messenger. For example, users can respond to specific messages, change chat colors, and send ‘selfie stickers’. Instagram is also getting Messenger’s Watch Together feature, which allows users to watch IGTV videos together during a video chat. Vanish fashion is also introduced. In that mode, according to Facebook, messages are automatically deleted after they have been read.

It is not entirely clear where and when the new features will be released. Facebook states that the features are currently being released in a number of countries and will be available worldwide “ later ”. CNN reports that this will happen “ over the next few months. ”

Facebook seems in August already started testing these new features on Instagram. The company previously introduced Messenger Rooms, which allow users to video chat via Messenger. That function should eventually receive support for Instagram and WhatsApp.