Meta is introducing shortcuts on Messenger, a new command system to make messaging more efficient. The platform is starting with two new shortcuts available on Android and iOS-the @everyone and /silent shortcuts.
The @everyone shortcut lets users send messages to all participants in the chat simultaneously.
“When you start a message, all participants in the chat will be notified. @everyone is perfect for group reminders, impromptu get-togethers or when you need to gather the braintrust to crowdsource an answer to a time-sensitive question. This way, your message gets maximum exposure, and nobody misses out,” it said in a blog post.
When a user uses the /silent shortcut, the members of their chat will not receive a notification of your message at all. It is also available on Instagram as “@silent.”
“Sending a message with /silent removes the anxiety of interrupting someone with a non-urgent pop-up notification or disturbing them during their off hours,” it said.
In the coming weeks, it will be introducing several new shortcuts including /Pay (coming soon to iOS and Android for Messenger in the US) and /gif (coming soon on iOS).
The /pay shortcut will make it easier to send and receive money right in a user’s one-on-one Messenger chats.
The /gif shortcut will help users easily find and send GIFs.
It will also be introducing the /shrug and /tableflip shortcuts to easily create old school text-based shrug and tableflip emoticons.