WhatsApp rolls out message editing feature, but there's a catch

Meta-owned WhatsApp is all set to roll out the much awaited feature of editing a message, allowing its users to edit messages up to 15 minutes after they are sent.

'For the moments when you make a mistake, or simply change your mind, you can now edit your sent messages,' WhatsApp said in a blog post. 

IT’S HERE 📣 Message Editing is rolling out now.

You now get up to 15 minutes after sending a message to edit it. So you don’t have to worry if you duck it up 🦆 pic.twitter.com/JCWNzmXwVr

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) May 22, 2023

'From correcting a simple misspelling to adding extra context to a message, we're excited to bring you more control over your chats,' it said in the blog post. 

To use the new tool, simply long-press on a sent message and choose 'Edit' from the menu.

Edited messages will display 'edited' alongside them, so your friends will be aware of the correction, although they won't be able to see the edit history. 

'As with all personal messages, media and calls, your messages and the edits you make are protected by end-to-end encryption,' WhatsApp added. 

Meta founder, Mark Zuckerberg, also posted about the new feature, writing on his Facebook page: 'You can now edit your WhatsApp messages up to 15 mins after they're sent!'

How to edit texts on WhatsApp? 

Users will be able to edit a sent message once the edit feature is available by simply long-pressing the text and selecting the edit button. The user can then update the text and save the changes by pressing the transmit button. The feature will function in both individual and group conversations. The Meta-owned company has not specified a release date for the edit feature, but it is anticipated to go live globally in the coming weeks.

An "edited" notification will be presented next to messages that have been edited, but the edit history will not be visible, making it impossible for users to see what the post originally said.

Meta’s founder and chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, flagged the WhatsApp change on his Facebook page, showing a message that had been changed from "Beast of luck!" to "Best of luck!"

WhatsApp is now catching up to its competitor messaging applications, including Telegram and Signal, which have already made it possible to alter messages. A similar functionality for editing and resending iMessage messages was also added in Apple's iOS 16 software.