What you need to know
- WhatsApp seems to be working on a new feature that allows users to edit messages after they have already been sent.
- This feature was apparently in the works years ago before it was scrapped.
- It is unclear when the feature will come to beta users, but it will likely come to Android, iOS and desktop.
Spelling mistakes are never funny, and a letter can easily make things very cumbersome. Some apps already let you edit posts or messages after the fact, but it seems that WhatsApp would like to be part of the fun.
WaBetaInfo captured a new feature hidden in the WhatsApp beta, which allows users to edit their texts. From the images, it appears that users can select a message and tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner, which will reveal a new “Edit” option next to “Info” and “Copy.”
After pressing “Edit”, the selected text will appear in the text editor, where you can probably edit as you wish.
WaBetaInfo notes that there does not appear to be an indication of an edit history feature to display previous versions of a message, which would help hold users accountable if they decide to completely change the meaning of a message. That said, the feature is still under development so it may change when it finally arrives.
For now, it does not appear to be available at the moment for beta users, though it may only be a matter of time, provided WhatsApp does not turn off. According to WaBetaInfo, this is a feature that the app previously worked on years ago, but it was apparently scrapped for some unknown reason.
When (or if) it arrives, it’s likely to be available on Android phones, iOS devices and desktop versions of WhatsApp.
WhatsApp is not the only app working on an edit button, as Twitter is expected to start testing its own edit button this summer. Given the nature of the social media platform, it seems likely that Twitter will show some sort of editorial history of accountability, but so far we know little about the platform’s implementation.
Hopefully, WhatsApp’s inclusion of the feature will signal a similar feature for the Metas Messenger app.