In line with what users can currently do in apps like iMessage and Telegram, WhatsApp started working on the ability to edit messages in 2022. We last heard about the functionality in an Android beta version of WhatsApp, and it hasn’t been mentioned since. Now, the functionality has been added to WhatsApp beta for iOS.
[Update: May 22, 2023: WhatsApp today announced that it is globally rolling out the ability to edit messages. Users will simply need to long-press on a sent message and choose ‘Edit’ from the menu for up to fifteen minutes after sending a text. Note that edited messages will mention the word ‘edited’ at the bottom.]
WhatsApp beta for iOS allows users to edit messages
According to WABetaInfo, the most recent beta of WhatsApp for iPhone has the capability to edit messages for a select number of individuals. Users can simply press a message and tap the “Edit” button to use the feature, which functions similarly to what has already been included in the Android beta.
WhatsApp will impose limitations on users’ ability to alter delivered messages, in contrast to Telegram. For instance, after a message has been sent, users will only have 15 minutes to change it. The strategy is comparable to iMessage, which also imposes a 15-minute time limit for message editing.
WhatsApp will only display an “edited” label on messages that have been edited by the sender, in contrast to iMessage, which displays a history of revisions to other users. In this instance, the strategy is more comparable to Telegram’s. Another thing to bear in mind is that the edit feature only applies to text messages and does not apply to captions for images, videos, or documents.
There are no specifics on the release date for this feature on WhatsApp. The official rollout, however, may occur very soon given that the feature was just made available to WhatsApp beta users for the iPhone.
In related news, WhatsApp working on a new Newsletter feature for Communities. There are not a lot of details about this new feature but it is likely meant to be an extension of the Communities function.
Check out some other features that WhatsApp has released over the last couple of months:
- WhatsApp adds picture-in-picture support for video calls to iPhone
- WhatsApp’s native macOS app is now available for all in beta
- WhatsApp now supports proxy servers to keep users connected when internet is blocked
- WhatsApp’s now lets users send messages to themself
- WhatsApp introduces new “Accidental Delete” feature to undo ‘Delete for Me’
