Facebook Messenger gets a makeover with new effects, filters and more for video chats

Video chats in Messenger will be more fun now as Facebook has just added now some features. The new features which include animated reactions, filters, masks and effects, and the ability to take screenshots, will be available for both one-on-one and group video chats.

Well if you are a Snapchat user, some of these additions will seem quite familiar to you. Especially, those masks and effects that that can turn you into a floppy-eared rabbit, a flower child from the 60's, a headband-wearing bear to name a few. Well, no surprise there since it is not the first time Facebook is copying something from Snapchat.

Facebook has said in a blog post that while masks have been available in Messenger for a while, now the collection is more. Moreover, some of the masks come with hidden effects, which can react to facial movements of the user. There are also new animated effects, like falling hearts and twinkling stars. These effects and masks stay on the screen for the duration of the video chat unless you take them off or switch to another one.

During a video chat, you will be able to choose from five different Messenger emojis that to express love, laughter, surprise, sadness or anger. These reactions will animate onto the screen for a moment and then disappear. Interestingly, most reactions will look different depending on whether your face is on or off the screen.

Messenger has also added some new video filters that will let you express your current mood. There is a variety of filters to choose from, ranging from subtle lighting tweaks to bold color changes. The live preview option even allows you to test the filter on yourself before letting others see it.

Lastly, now you will be able to capture the moments from your videos chats. You would have to tap the camera icon to take a picture of your video chat and save it to your phone's camera roll. You can then decide to post it to your Messenger Day or other social media accounts. You can also send the picture to the person or group that you're video chatting with.