Facebook Messenger Update: App Adds Live Location Tracking

Facebook unveiled a new tweak to Facebook Messenger Monday that’ll make it easier to figure out plans with your friends.

In Messenger, you’ll now be able to temporarily share your location with friends with the Live Location feature. The location tracking feature works for 60 minutes and can also estimate how long it’ll take to get to a location by car. In a blog post, Facebook found the feature to be useful for a variety of situations.

Read: How To Send Maps On Facebook Messenger

“We’ve been testing this for a little while, and people tell us that Live Location is helpful when trying to coordinate with friends, telling people how close you are when you’re on your way to an appointment, or even sharing where you are with your roommate when you’re on your way home at night.” Facebook said.

The new feature isn’t Facebook’s first for location data, as Messenger already had basic location sharing functionality. Previously, you could share a static location and address to a friend or groups through the client.

Read: Facebook Drops Messenger Support To Some Windows, iOS And Android Users Next Week

The new feature is the latest tweak for Messenger, as Facebook continues to bulk up the chat client. While the app is still anchored around chat, you can now do everything from Snapchat-style stories to cash transfers. The Swiss army knife strategy for Messenger makes sense for Facebook, as the company wants to make sure its users stay on the company’s apps and services for longer.