WhatsApp has been around for plenty of years already, and it’s obvious that the app won’t lose any of its notoriety anytime soon. Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta CEO, has now announced the implementation of a new feature for the instant-messaging app in order to grant users even more comfort when they want to send a message.
WhatsApp users now have the possibility to edit any message within 15 minutes of sending it, which provides much-needed relief in the case of those pesky typos and misspellings. Zuckerberg made the announcement in a recent Facebook post, as XDA has spotted.
How the new feature works
To edit a message, you’ll have to simply long-press on it and choose the ‘Edit’ option. The edited message will be labeled as such, ensuring transparency for the recipient. While the feature is currently rolling out globally and will be available to all users in just a few weeks, it’s unclear if there are any limitations on the number of edits allowed.
WhatsApp continues to enhance its platform, recently introducing Chat Lock for added security and even beta testing a Wear OS app for wrist-based conversations.
While the new feature in question may be seen as a positive addition by many users, it can also have potential drawbacks and be perceived as a bad idea in precise scenarios. For instance, let’s consider misinformation and manipulation. Allowing users to edit messages within a 15-minute window creates the chance for malicious actors to spread false information and then conveniently alter their messages to erase any traces. This could lead to the rapid dissemination of misleading or even harmful content before anyone has a chance to address or fact-check it.
If the new iMessage-like feature hasn’t arrived for you yet, the best thing to do is wait a few more days while keeping your smartphone connected to the internet.