Snapchat just freed up your thumbs.
The ephemeral messaging service announced Wednesday that users no longer need to press and hold the screen to view video or image messages. The new update applies to both individual snaps and publicly posted stories.
“This means no more tired thumbs while watching a several-hundred-second Story … and a little getting used to for anyone who has been Snapchatting for a while,” the company wrote in a blog post. “We think you’re going to love it!”
Snapchat also launched a new feature called Add Nearby, which allows users to befriend multiple people on the app when they’re all close to each other.
“It’s a quick way to add a group of friends when you’re all hanging out together,” the company said. “If everyone opens Add Nearby, a list of your friends will appear on the screen. Just tap to add.”
The four-year-old company, valued at a whopping $16 billion, also beefed up its security by adding two-step authentication for users.
The moves come amid a break-out year for the app, which began partnering with media companies such as Vice, Cosmopolitan and CNN earlier in 2015 to host original content in its Discover section.