Messenger now supports E2E encrypted group chats and calls

Meta (formerly Facebook) is rolling out a major update for Messenger, which brings support for end-to-end (E2E) encrypted group chats and calls. The feature expands upon Messenger’s existing E2E encrypted messaging feature and it now lets you connect with multiple people in a group chat and make calls in a private and secure way. Along with E2E encrypted group chats and calls, the latest update for Messenger brings screenshot notifications support for disappearing messages (previously available in Vanish mode), GIF, sticker and reactions support in E2E encrypted messaging, and more.

For the unaware, Messenger has offered support for end-to-end encrypted chats for quite a while now. The feature initially rolled out all the way back in 2016 and it now finally supports group chats and calls. E2E encryption in Messenger is currently an opt-in feature and users can turn it on by tapping on the lock icon when starting a new chat.

Screenshot notification in Messenger’s E2E encrypted chat

E2E encrypted messaging is not the same as the secure Vanish mode that’s available in Messenger and Instagram, as messages sent in an E2E encrypted chat don’t disappear by default. However, the feature does offer support for disappearing messages and it even alerts users when someone takes a screenshot of a disappearing message. Surprisingly, Meta’s other, more widely used messaging service WhatsApp still doesn’t alert users when someone takes a screenshot of a disappearing message.

Message reactions support in E2E encrypted chats

As mentioned earlier, Meta is also rolling out support for GIFs, Stickers, and Reactions in end-to-end encrypted chats, giving users a more complete chat experience without compromising privacy. Furthermore, E2E encrypted chats are also getting support for replies, verified badges, typing indicators, and message forwarding. Lastly, the new update brings a new option to help users easily save shared media and edit videos before sharing. You can learn more about all the new changes in Messenger by heading over to the official announcement post from the link above.

It’s worth noting that all the features mentioned above are not new to Messenger overall. They’re just new to E2E encrypted chats on the platform. As far as the rollout is concerned, Meta says that the features have started rolling out on all platforms for all users and should appear within the coming weeks.

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