WhatsApp users can now edit their messages for up to 15 minutes after they’ve been shared.
The new feature could be great for perfectionists worried about a typo or for simply adding in information you forgot the first time around.
Messages you change will be labelled as “edited,” so that recipients are aware of the correction. However, they won’t show the edit history, even if they’ve been tweaked multiple times, WhatsApp announced in a blog post.
The update is rolling out globally now, and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.
WhatsApp isn’t the first platform to offer the widely requested feature. Twitter finally caved to demands and launched an edit tweet button in September for paying users. WhatsApp’s rival Telegram has offered the function since 2016, with no time limits on its use. In addition, email providers such as Safari also offer the ability to un-send emails within a short window.
How to edit a WhatsApp message
The new WhatsApp feature is pretty simple to use.
All you need to do is long-press on a sent message and choose ‘Edit’ from the menu for up to 15 minutes afterwards.
WhatsApp has rolled out a flurry of updates this year to keep users locked to its service.
Last week, the app introduced a chat lock feature that hides your private messages behind a password or fingerprint ID. It also launched a new function last month that lets you hang on to disappearing messages with the sender’s approval.
Also in April, WhatsApp gave users the ability to use the the same account on up to four different devices.
We’ve compiled some of the app’s best features in a handy list, including how to leave WhatsApp groups silently, how to share your live location with others, and how to turn off read receipts.
