WhatsApp introduces message editing feature with a 15-minute time window

WhatsApp has introduced a much-awaited feature — the ability to edit messages. Users have highly anticipated this new functionality, and is finally set to debut on the popular messaging platform.

In a public Facebook post, Mark Zuckerberg, the head of Meta, detailed how the newly introduced feature will work. WhatsApp users can now edit their messages within a 15-minute window after initially sending the message. To utilize this feature, users must press and hold on to the message they wish to change and then select the edit option to make their alterations.

To ensure transparency, any message that has been edited will carry an “edited” label, which will be positioned next to the timestamp, indicating that the original message has been modified. One crucial point is that the app will not record the edits made. Consequently, other users in the conversation cannot view the prior versions of any edited messages.

Up until the introduction of this feature, WhatsApp users had two main options when it came to modifying a message. They could choose to completely erase the message, or alternatively, they had to issue an edit in a separate follow-up message. The new message editing feature will significantly improve this process and enhance the popular Whatsapp platform.

It’s clear that Meta is shifted its strategy regarding Whatsapp, the platform received a lot of updates over the past month, including the recent chat lock feature and a payment system for selected countries. You can see the detailed announcement on the official Whatsapp Blog.