Facebook Rolls Out Massive Redesign on Their Platforms

Why it Matter: Facebook announced today during its annual F8 conference a major redesign of the social network that’s said to be simpler, faster and more immersive. Facebook also announced a Messenger desktop app for Windows and macOS, new ways to watch videos together in Messenger, an opt-in way to meet new people on the platform, additional features for Facebook Dating and more.

FB5, the update’s official name, will have a major focus on groups. According to the social network, when people find the right groups, they often become the most meaningful part of how they use Facebook. It only makes sense, then, that this aspect should be put front and center.

Specifically, the groups tab now shows a personalized feed of activity across all your groups. You may also notice relevant group recommendations elsewhere on Facebook and see more content from groups show up in your news feed.

The new Facebook will also feature clean lines with loads of white space. What you’ll likely notice first, however, is that Facebook’s iconic blue bar across the top of the site is gone. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said it’s the “sum of hundreds of details” and represents the biggest change they’ve made to Facebook in the last five years.

The redesign is rolling out now to apps and will be available on the desktop in the coming months.