Facebook's Messenger gets AR effects, including mossy beards, in video calls

Ever wish you had a green, mossy beard in your Messenger video calls? If so, Facebook heard you loud and clear.

On Thursday, the company announced a new Messenger feature, allowing users to add augmented reality effects to their video calls.

Group Effects include such fun masks and animations as green beards, cat tails, and a game of "put together a sandwich out of falling food by moving your head left and right." Facebook says there will be a total of 70 Group Effects to choose from, including games.

Facebook Messenger's AR Group Effects Credit: Facebook

To try out some of the effects, open Messenger, start a video call or create a room, tap the smiley face, and select Group Effects.

The most important part of the announcement, Facebook says, is that this is the first time that Group Effects work in a shared, video calling experience. Facebook has recently been talking a lot about the metaverse and shared online experiences, and this is another way to suck us all into the company's virtual world.

Facebook also plans to expand access to the newSpark AR Multipeer APIat the end of this month, allowing more developers to build Group Effects.

New Group Effects are available on Messenger video calls and Messenger Rooms now. It will be coming to Instagram "soon," says Facebook.