Facebook Messenger now gets new camera with 3D masks and filters

Facebook Messenger has now been updated with a new camera button which includes 3D filters and special effects. The update for iOS and Android will be rolled out globally over the next few days.

The company announced in its blog post, “We’ve seen that the way people are messaging is becoming much more visual. In fact, over 2.5 billion emojis, photos, stickers and videos are sent every day on Messenger.”

The Messenger app now has a new camera on the screen. A single tap will allow you to take pictures while a longer press will take a video. Facebook added, “It’s even quicker and easier to capture and share moments as they happen. Imagine the Messenger camera as a powerful new tool that lives just behind your inbox. It’s always one tap away — whether you’re already in a conversation or have just opened up the app.”

Facebook has also introduced new art and special effects. 3D masks and effects are said to make it easy to apply an artistic filter to a full screen photo. You can take a selfie and transform into a reindeer or play with falling snow or ask someone how they are doing. There’s also a palette icon by the shutter which will take you to a blank canvas where you can add art and stickers to your text.