Remember when Facebook was just a place you’d go to post a silly
message on a friend’s wall? As with any growing company, the social
network has done an especially good job at expanding its reach.
message on a friend’s wall? As with any growing company, the social
network has done an especially good job at expanding its reach.
Facebook has become a place you go to for news as well as friend updates, not to mention viral videos and event planning.
But did you know that you can also use Facebook and its Messenger app
to play chess, shoot hoops, and even send special birthday videos? Yes,
like Snapchat, Facebook continually delights with surprising new ways
to make us even more addicted than we already are.
to play chess, shoot hoops, and even send special birthday videos? Yes,
like Snapchat, Facebook continually delights with surprising new ways
to make us even more addicted than we already are.
Click through for six hidden Facebook features that will forever change how you use the site as culled from Refinery29.
1. Create A Personalized Birthday Video
Why just post “happy birthday” on a friend’s wall when you can record
a video for them? Facebook’s birthday video cam lets you choose from
among six fun, birthday-themed background filters and record a special
15-second video. Just go to a friend’s Facebook page on their birthday,
and go to write a post like you normally would. You’ll see a blue bar
pop up that says, “Record a birthday video.” Press that, and go crazy!
a video for them? Facebook’s birthday video cam lets you choose from
among six fun, birthday-themed background filters and record a special
15-second video. Just go to a friend’s Facebook page on their birthday,
and go to write a post like you normally would. You’ll see a blue bar
pop up that says, “Record a birthday video.” Press that, and go crazy!
2. Play Chess
Introduce some competitive fun to your messages by breaking out the
chess board. Type @fbchess in a thread on Messenger, and a chess board
will show up on screen, designating who is black and who is white. It’s
not as lifelike as a Harry Potter game of Wizard’s Chess, but it’ll do.
chess board. Type @fbchess in a thread on Messenger, and a chess board
will show up on screen, designating who is black and who is white. It’s
not as lifelike as a Harry Potter game of Wizard’s Chess, but it’ll do.
3. Save Articles Or Posts For Later
Unless you’re scrolling through Facebook on the sofa, you probably
don’t have time to read all the articles that your friends have posted.
That’s where its handy bookmarking feature comes in. Click the downward
arrow next to a post and tap, “Save link.” You can read your saved links
later by going to the “Saved” tab on your “Favorites” bar (in the app,
you can access the “Saved” tab by first tapping the “More” button in the
bottom right).
don’t have time to read all the articles that your friends have posted.
That’s where its handy bookmarking feature comes in. Click the downward
arrow next to a post and tap, “Save link.” You can read your saved links
later by going to the “Saved” tab on your “Favorites” bar (in the app,
you can access the “Saved” tab by first tapping the “More” button in the
bottom right).
4. Shoot Hoops
Warning: This is insanely addictive. If you send a basketball emoji
to a friend in Messenger, click on the basketball. You have now entered
your own game (free throws only) of hoops. The score goes back to zero
each time you miss, but you get a limitless number of tries. So you
could actually play forever, and ever, and ever
to a friend in Messenger, click on the basketball. You have now entered
your own game (free throws only) of hoops. The score goes back to zero
each time you miss, but you get a limitless number of tries. So you
could actually play forever, and ever, and ever
5. Pay For Drinks
Once you’ve entered your debit card (go to your phone’s Settings and
then Facebook to do so), you can send payments and request money from
friends through Messenger. There isn’t much that differentiates payments
within Messenger from those on Venmo, but if you made drink plans on
Messenger, it can be an easy way to keep the conversation (and its
ensuing tab) in one place.
then Facebook to do so), you can send payments and request money from
friends through Messenger. There isn’t much that differentiates payments
within Messenger from those on Venmo, but if you made drink plans on
Messenger, it can be an easy way to keep the conversation (and its
ensuing tab) in one place.
6. Find Dinner Recipes
The latest updates to Facebook Search made it easier to find many
things, but recipe searching especially got a boost. Search for a meal,
or specify by category (smoothies, for example), and you’ll see relevant
recent posts from friends, as well as popular articles and top posts
from restaurants and media.
things, but recipe searching especially got a boost. Search for a meal,
or specify by category (smoothies, for example), and you’ll see relevant
recent posts from friends, as well as popular articles and top posts
from restaurants and media.
