Facebook Messenger gets codes and links for usernames

With ads coming to Messenger, Facebook is looking to make their popular chat service the most widely used messaging service on the planet. If the social giant is to be believed, there are already 900 million people using Messenger actively, so it’s no surprise that they’re attempting to pump up features and monetize it. The most recent in a long line of additions to the app is the ability to create a unique username.

The idea is to make yourself more readily identifiable from all the other legions of Facebook users who share your boring normal name. It can occasionally be a pain to connect with people on the fly – “No not that one. Not that one. Yeah, that’s me.” – so adding an optional username could cut back on that confusion. Furthermore, your username will function as a nifty URL for easy link-sending. This will allow users to strike up conversation easily through online mediums.

If you’re in person, however, the easiest way to connect will be through the new “codes” feature. These are similar to QR codes, but they have a distinctly different aesthetic to them. A crop-circle-esque set of lines and loops forms a halo around your profile picture, and it can easily be scanned from another device to put the two of you in a Messenger conversation right away.

All in all, these are some pretty large changes to come to the chat app. We’re not seeing them quite yet on Android, but they should roll out later today. If you’ve already received the update, let us know how it’s working for you in the comments below. As always, stay tuned to Android Authority for the latest scoop on the changes coming to all your favorite apps!