NearGroup is a feature that was introduced in Facebook Messenger in 2021 that allowed users to video chat with up to 50 people at once. It provided a way for people to come together in large groups and have conversations via video chat. However, in early 2022 it was reported that NearGroup was no longer showing up for many users in Messenger. So what happened to NearGroup and is it still available in Messenger?
What Was NearGroup?
NearGroup was launched in Messenger in April 2021 as a way for users to video chat with larger groups of people. Here are some key details about how NearGroup worked:
- Allowed up to 50 people to join a group video chat together
- Users could discover and join Nearby open groups based on location
- Could also create private groups and invite people to join
- Worked on both iOS and Android versions of Messenger
- Used augmented reality for video effects and filters
- Enabled screen sharing during calls
The feature was seen as Messenger’s version of Clubhouse, providing video chat options for larger groups when people were unable to meet up in person during the Covid-19 pandemic. It enabled both planned group conversations among friends as well as the ability to join interests-based groups.
NearGroup’s Disappearance
Within about a year of its launch, many Messenger users started reporting that they could no longer find the NearGroup feature in their apps in early 2022. The Nearby tab that previously housed the feature had disappeared.
There was no official announcement from Meta about NearGroup going away. Based on user reports, it seemed to have vanished from Messenger sometime around February or March 2022.
Some possible reasons that NearGroup may have gone away include:
- Lack of user adoption – It may not have caught on widely enough
- Technical challenges – Video chatting with up to 50 people may have created technical issues
- Limited usage – People may have tried it out initially but usage dropped off
- Shift in priorities – Meta may have decided to focus resources on other Messenger features
But again, there was no confirmation from Meta on exactly why NearGroup disappeared.
Is NearGroup Still Available?
As of October 2022, there is no sign of NearGroup returning to Messenger. The Nearby tab remains absent from the app and there is no option for starting or joining NearGroups.
So it appears that NearGroup is officially gone from Messenger at this time. There has been no indication that Meta plans to bring it back.
The code for NearGroup may still exist in the Messenger backend. But there is no public way for users to access the feature. Even searching for NearGroup-related terms in Messenger does not bring anything up.
So in summary – no, NearGroup is not currently available in Messenger in any form.
Alternatives to NearGroup
While NearGroup itself is gone, there are some alternatives in Messenger and other apps that provide similar group video chat capabilities:
Messenger Rooms
Messenger Rooms allow users to create group video chat rooms of up to 50 people. The room creator can share a join link that they send out to prospective participants. Some key differences vs NearGroup include:
- Rooms are based on invites rather than location/discovery
- No augmented reality features
- Less focused on discovering/browsing open groups
But Rooms do offer the ability to video chat in groups up to 50, which was NearGroup’s biggest draw.
Group Video Calls
Messenger also allows users to make group video calls with up to 8 participants (or up to 16 on desktop). While much smaller than NearGroup limits, for more intimate conversations with family/friends this may meet video chatting needs.
Discord
While not part of Messenger, Discord does provide ways to have group video chats with large groups. There are community servers where users can chat via text, audio, and video with topic-focused groups. Discord supports video calls of up to 50 people.
Other Apps
There are a variety of other group video chat apps available that offer similar capabilities to NearGroup, such as:
- Houseparty – Group video chats with up to 8 people
- Google Meet – Supports up to 100 participants
- Zoom – Allows up to 500 participants (with large meeting add-on)
So while NearGroup itself is gone, there are still plenty of options for users looking to video chat in groups, both within Messenger and via third-party apps.
The Future of Group Video Chat in Messenger
While NearGroup didn’t seem to take off, group video chat remains an important feature in messaging apps. It’s likely that Meta will continue to explore options to enable these large group interactions within Messenger.
A few possibilities include:
- Improving Rooms discovery/browsability
- Adding augmented reality to Rooms
- Increasing group capacity beyond 50 people
- Making join links shareable to social feeds
- Revisiting interest-based group video chats
Enabling people to come together in large groups is key to creating vibrant communities on messaging platforms. Apps like Discord have shown there is demand for topic/interest focused group video chat.
As virtual interactions continue increasing, Messenger will likely iterate on group video features over time. But for now NearGroup remains defunct. The next big evolution in group messaging capabilities has yet to emerge in Messenger app, but the need is still there.
Conclusion
NearGroup offered an innovative way for Messenger users to video chat together in large groups when it launched in 2021. But by early 2022 the feature had mysteriously disappeared from the app.
All signs indicate NearGroup is no longer available, as the Nearby tab and all references to joining NearGroups have been removed from Messenger.
While disappointing for some users, there are still alternative group video chat options like Messenger Rooms, group calls, and third-party apps. And Meta may potentially look to improve the group video experience in Messenger going forward.
But the short-lived NearGroup experiment has run its course. So for those wondering if NearGroup is still around, sadly the answer is no – but there are still plenty of other ways to video chat with groups for the time being.