Lost internet connection? This new Facebook app feature is your lifesaver.

Traveloka SG

1 min read

Have you ever gone traveling to someplace completely unfamiliar to you, where you could barely speak a lick of the local language and needed to fire up a translation app on your mobile phone?

Or perhaps you needed to complete a last-minute task for work – but oops, how to do it without an internet connection?

Well, gone are the days of desperately trying to figure out how to ask, “Where can I get free WiFi?”, because Facebook has just rolled out its latest feature: Find WiFi.

Last year, Facebook tested out the feature for iOS users in select countries, and now it’s available worldwide for iOS and Android users.

How it works

What it basically does is list out nearby open WiFi hotspots that users can access. Travelers with limited or no data connection, or those in areas with scarce mobile data, will find this feature useful, as it includes information such as whether the business owning the WiFi hotspot is currently open, its opening hours, and also the name of the WiFi network.

However, the list is not quite comprehensive yet, as businesses must manually opt-in to be included.

How to use it

1.

Update to the latest version of the Facebook app.

2.

Open the app > Click on the ‘More’ tab (the 3 horizontal lines symbol on the upper far right).

3.

Select ‘Find WiFi’ feature. If you can’t find the button, scroll down to ‘Apps’ and select ‘See all’.

4.

Enable the feature to access your GPS location.

5.

It will initially display as a list, but you can switch to Map view (upper right).

Check out this video for how to use it on your phone:

Bitten by the travel bug? Here’s another useful app you’ll want to have on hand: download the Traveloka App to get great deals for flights and hotels across Malaysia and around the world.