If you have ever looked at a WhatsApp message you just sent and cringed at the sight of a typo, the latest update to the app will make your mistakes a bit more bearable. Of course, you can quickly fix grammatical or spelling errors with a swift follow-up message, but you can now edit WhatsApp messages before the recipient notices.
Tip: if you need to let someone know where you are, check out how to share your location on WhatsApp.
Correcting Mistakes
The Meta-owned messaging service rolled out an app update that lets you go back into a message and edit the text. This is incredibly handy when you spot a spelling mistake or simply change your mind about your shared content. However, it does come with a slight caveat.
“Edited messages will display ‘edited’ alongside them, so those you’re messaging are aware of the correction without showing 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 explained in a blog post.
The new feature has started to roll out globally, so if you don’t see the change just yet, it could take a couple of weeks to reach you. Also, remember that you can only edit messages up to 15 minutes after they have been sent.
Follow the steps below to edit a message:
- Open your message thread.
- Tap and hold the message you want to edit to bring up the context menu.
- Tap on “Edit” in between “Copy” and “Info.”
- Correct the message in the box and tap on “Enter.”
The edited message will remain in the original location during the conversation, but there will be an “Edited” tag next to the sent time. This is just a simple indication so that everybody is aware that the original message has been altered.
This update is the latest in a series of improvements for the app, rolled out in quick succession. Last week the company included a way for users to safeguard private messages from prying eyes. The feature, called Chat Lock, lets you place specific messages behind a security wall. The only way to view the content is through your phone’s facial recognition function or fingerprint.
WhatsApp is still tinkering with Chat Lock, and more options are expected in the coming weeks. One of these lets you create a custom password for unlocking messages.
Tip: here’s a quick way to restore a missing WhatsApp profile photo.
Image credit: Unsplash
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