Facebook Messenger Data Saver Feature Appears In Testing

High-speed data is expensive and many mobile users have adopted a waste not, want not attitude toward it. You can use apps like Opera Max to save on data usage in general, and some apps come with their own data-limiting feature. Per some screenshots that have surfaced, its appears Facebook Messenger may soon be one of those apps offering a data saver option to trim usage.

The feature appeared in a couple Messenger screenshots sent to Android Police. One screenshot shows a 'Data Saver' option in the menu found under the "Account" tab. The other screenshot shows the menu that appears after selecting 'Data Saver' — it has a toggle switch, a reset counter, and a 'data saved' listing.

According to the screenshot, Data Saver reduces how much data is used when you watch a video or open a photo while on a cellular network. How? By making you click to download the item instead of automatically downloading it, allowing you to wait until you're back on a WiFi network if you so choose.

Click on the 'Account' tab in Messenger to see whether you have the feature, but don't be surprised if you don't. Facebook frequently tests features in Messenger with a limited number of users, sometimes in limited regions. A feature in testing may never make its way into the final product; in the mean time, use Opera Max or something similar to cut down your data usage.