WhatsApp messages can be re-edited - but only briefly
23/5/2023
Translation: machine translated
You can now customise WhatsApp messages again after sending them - but only for a certain period of time.
Typed a message quickly, sent it and oh no: the worst typo of all time has crept in. Or a completely inappropriate emoji. Or both together. This scenario will soon be a thing of the past: Messages sent can now be adjusted afterwards - instead of having to be deleted altogether.
How it works
To edit a WhatsApp message afterwards, tap on the message and the editing window will open - on Android this is located in the menu bar, on iOS directly below the message. Tap on "Edit" there, the tap field will open again and you can correct the message.
But be careful: you can only edit messages within 15 minutes of sending them, after that it is no longer possible - probably to prevent complete chat histories from being falsified.
Source: Livia Gamper
Edited messages are also labelled as such below the text. The change history is not visible. Messages can also be edited multiple times. The practical test shows: If I edit messages several times, they are only updated with a long delay. A single edit, on the other hand, is done within seconds.
Even if your chat partner is online, you can edit the messages - the user then sees both versions and the edited one remains.
Not yet available for everyone
WhatsApp is currently rolling out the function. People who do not yet have the new function will still receive the updated messages and the notice of editing - but they will not be able to change any messages themselves.
There is no exact schedule for the rollout, but WhatsApp says that the function will be available "in the coming weeks".
Cover image: Shutterstock / cliplab
Testing devices and gadgets is my thing. Some experiments lead to interesting insights, others to demolished phones. I’m hooked on series and can’t imagine life without Netflix. In summer, you’ll find me soaking up the sun by the lake or at a music festival.