【Peter Baumgartner】

Facebook's Messenger has long had the option to chat with end-to-end encryption,Peter Baumgartner meaning that your chats are encrypted when they leave your device and until they reach the recipient, keeping them safe from prying eyes (even Facebook's).

But if you turn on the feature, your chats will look bland and have a lot less features than regular chats, which surely isn't very enticing for users.

This is now changing. On Monday, Facebook announced it's adding a number of new feature to end-to-end encrypted chats. This includes chat themes, custom chat emojis and reactions, group profile photos, link previews, and active status. Additionally, Android bubbles will now show up when you get a new message in an end-to-end encrypted chat.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

SEE ALSO: Facebook and Instagram told to overhaul nudity policies by Oversight Board

While the new features are nice, it's still not as good as just having end-to-end encryption enabled by default (as it should be). Facebook is making some progress there, too. The company says it's gradually expanding its test of enabling end-to-end encryption for Messenger by default.

Millions of users will see a notification like this one in the next few months. Credit: Facebook

This means that, over the next couple of months, some users will get a notification that their chats have been upgraded to feature end-to-end encryption. The users will be chosen randomly, so if it happens, it happens. Facebook says "millions" of people around the world will get access to the feature.

---

Related Stories

---

• Meta's Oversight Board comes out swinging against Facebook's VIP 'cross-check' program
• Facebook reminds employees: You can't fact check Trump now that he's running for president
• Facebook owner Meta to lay off 11,000 people, or 13% of its workforce
• What is Facebook's professional mode?
• People are using TikTok as a news source, as Facebook declines

---

Featured Video For You

---

Alternative Social Networks to Replace Twitter, Facebook, and More

---

Facebook says it'll continue working to bring end-to-end encryption to more users in the future, with more updates coming this year.

Topics Facebook

• Life
• Digital Culture
• Entertainment
• Shopping
• Games
• Science
• Social Good
• Tech

• Best soundbar deal: Save $300 on the Sonos Arc
• TikTok will now explain your FYP recommendations
• Adele only needs 1 Instagram post to prove she’s having a better summer than you
• Marvel told the 'Maus' author his 'Orange Skull' Trump joke wasn't OK
• Stablecoin bill advances in U.S. Senate as Trump critics call to end his crypto dealings
• The biggest Meta mistakes and misfires in 2022
• French soccer match halted after crowd starts homophobic chant
• Two Chairs is a mental health startup banking on in
• 5 Ways to Access a Locked Windows Account
• The #GreenShirtGuy laughing at pro

• The single greatest interview we have ever read in a magazine, and more.
• The Opioid Thief
• Greek Tragedy
• The Conversion of Gucci Mane
• Élite Politesse
• More Mush from the Taste Police
• A Wonk on the Wild Side
• Whitewash
• Wack Political Economy
• Unions in Space

• Things Intel Needs to Fix
• The biggest Meta mistakes and misfires in 2022
• Jeff Bezos, Lil Nas X, and Katy Perry hung out, and the photos are as awkward as you think
• 'Glass Onion' almost included Janelle Monáe and Edward Norton covering David Bowie
• NYT Strands hints, answers for May 5
• People are mocking that viral Instagram hoax with hilarious parodies
• 'Quordle' today: See each 'Quordle' answer and hints for December 22
• Twitter reunites woman with man who gifted her a bike when she was a child refugee
• Best iPad deal: Save $100 on 13
• Wordle today: Here's the answer, hints for December 23

• 'The Last of Us' Season 2, episode 5: The spores are here!
• Creative driver makes hilarious sign to help him merge in LA traffic
• LastPass breach: Hacker stole passwords, company says
• NFL and Google reach deal to distribute NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube and YouTube TV
• Best speaker deal: Save $30 on the JBL Clip 5
• Derol from 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' explained
• Gordon Ramsay wants to know why he’s all alone in this school lunch meme
• Watch Simone Biles make history (again) with never
• Apple is reportedly still working on smart glasses of some kind
• 23 best free iPhone apps, according to Reddit