Facebook unveiled a number of new features for its Messenger app, which now has 900 million monthly active users (MAUs).

The number is up from 800 million in January, and sees Messenger inch closer to WhatsApp, also owned by the social media giant, which has 1 billion MAUs.

While the company’s introduction of Bots support drew most of the attention from its F8 developer event this week, other new additions include Messenger Codes, a visual code on a user’s profile photo which can be scanned by another user’s smartphone camera. Messenger then starts a conversation with them.

This means links can be made without the need to exchange phone numbers, and with users who are not friends on Facebook.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, said this means “no more misspelled names or mistyped phone numbers”.

Also new are Messenger Links, which can be used to enable communications with a click.

They can be used by businesses  or individuals, with the company noting that “we are all unique human beings, but sometimes we share the same name. This can make it hard to know you are contacting the right person when searching for them in Messenger”.

“Businesses can use Messenger Links and Messenger Codes in ads, on their website or in any other marketing channel to prompt people to reach out to them directly,” the company explained.

Another addition for businesses is Messenger Greetings, customisable notes that appear in a new message thread before messages are sent.