On Wednesday, Meta announced that Messenger’s Split Payments feature is now available to all iOS and Android users in the US. The feature began testing late last year as a way for users to share bills and expenses. Meta sees the new feature as a “free and fast” way to handle finances through Messenger.
To use the “Split Payments” feature, users need to click the Get Started button on the group chat or payments tab. There, you can split the bill equally, or modify the donation amount for everyone in the group chat, including or excluding yourself.
You can also choose to enter a personalized message. Finally, you will be asked to confirm your Facebook payment details, after which your request will be sent and can be viewed in your group chat thread.
In a blog post about the new feature, Meta said: “If you’ve ever struggled with sharing (and getting paid for) group dinners, shared household expenses, or even monthly rent, it just got easier.”
Along with the launch of Split Payments, Messenger is also rolling out new voice message recording controls, which allow users to pause, preview, delete or resume recording before sending a voice message. The company will also increase the duration of voice messages from 1 minute to 30 minutes.