WhatsApp has revealed its plans to introduce a message editing feature, aligning itself with rivals like Telegram and Signal that already offer this functionality.
The popular messaging service, owned by US tech giant Meta which also owns Facebook and Instagram, stated that users will be able to edit their messages within a 15-minute timeframe after sending them.
With over 2 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is set to roll out this feature to its entire user base in the coming weeks. Notably, India represents its largest market, with a staggering 487 million users.
In a blog post on Monday, WhatsApp expressed its excitement about granting users more control over their conversations, allowing them to rectify simple errors or provide additional context to their messages. The editing process will involve long-pressing on a sent message and selecting the “Edit” option from the menu.
To ensure transparency, edited messages will be labeled as “edited” for recipients, indicating that the content has been modified. However, the specific changes made to the message will not be displayed, preserving the privacy of the editing process.
WhatsApp has recently announced that it will be rolling out a long-awaited feature that allows users to edit their sent messages. This move brings WhatsApp in line with competitors like Telegram and Signal, who have already been offering this capability.
The editing feature will enable WhatsApp’s 2 billion users to make modifications to their messages within a 15-minute window after sending them. This functionality is expected to be available to users worldwide in the coming weeks. India, with its 487 million users, represents WhatsApp’s largest market.
In a blog post, WhatsApp expressed their excitement about granting users more control over their conversations, allowing for simple corrections of misspellings or the addition of extra context. Users will be able to edit a message by long-pressing on it and selecting the “Edit” option from the menu.
To ensure transparency, edited messages will be labeled as “edited” so that recipients are aware that changes have been made. However, specific details regarding the nature of the edits will not be visible.
It’s worth noting that Facebook, the parent company of WhatsApp, introduced the edit feature on its social media platform nearly a decade ago. During that time, Facebook acknowledged the prevalence of typing errors, particularly on mobile devices, which prompted the need for an editing function. On Facebook, edited updates are marked as such, and users can view the edit history.
In a similar vein, Twitter, led by Elon Musk, implemented a feature last year that allows paying subscribers to edit their tweets within a limited time frame of 30 minutes after posting. Twitter stated that this move aimed to make tweeting a more approachable and less stressful experience for users, emphasizing the importance of participating in conversations in a way that feels effortless and intuitive.