WhatsApp Spotted Testing Option to Edit Messages; Adding Support for Skin Tones in Message Reactions

WhatsApp is found to be adding an option to edit messages after they are sent. It would let users rectify mistakes such as typing errors in their messages, without completely deleting them from the chat and writing a fresh text message. Separately, WhatsApp has started supporting different skin tones for message reactions. The new addition is currently a part of the latest WhatsApp for Android beta version and is available to some beta testers at this moment. It may reach the masses once the beta testing gets completed.

According to WhatsApp beta tracker WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has started testing the option to allow users to edit their text messages. It would appear alongside the existing Info and Copy options that surface once you long-press a text message on the app.

WABetaInfo has shared a couple of screenshots to suggest how the edit option would work on WhatsApp.

By selecting Edit from the pop-up menu after long-pressing the text message, users would be able to edit the text, as seen in the screenshots.

WhatsApp has been spotted working on the Edit option to let you fix your typos with an ease
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

It is unclear whether the recipient will be able to know about the edit status of the message. Users are also not likely to get the ability to look at the edit history of a message to check its previous versions.

The screenshots shared to give us a glimpse of the development are taken from a recent version of WhatsApp for Android beta. However, WhatsApp is said to be working on introducing the edit option for iOS and desktop users as well. Exact date of the rollout is, though, yet to be officially announced.

This is notably not the first time when WhatsApp is seen working on the option to let you edit messages. Back in 2016, WABetaInfo had reported that the instant messaging app was in development to bring Edit and Revoke options. Additional references for both options also emerged on some beta versions of the app in 2017. WhatsApp, however, did not provide them for use even to its beta testers at the time.

Instead of bringing the option to edit messages, WhatsApp introduced the ‘Delete for Everyone’ feature in November 2017 to let users completely delete a message that carries an error.

Apart from being seen working on the edit option, WhatsApp is testing support for different skin tones for message reactions. WABetaInfo reports that it has been rolled out to some users through WhatsApp for Android beta version 2.22.13.4.

WhatsApp has started testing to support different skin tones for message reactions
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

With the new beta version, users are able to change the skin-tone of message reactions on the basis of their last used skin tone in the main emojis list. This means that, for instance, if you have used a dark skin tone for the Folded Hands emoji, the same tone will appear on the Folded Hands reaction.

The ability to change skin tone in message reactions seems to be limited to the Thumbs Up and Folded Hands emojis as the other reactions do not support different skin tone options at this moment.

WhatsApp rolled out message reactions last month to let users react to messages using emojis, similar to other Meta platforms including Facebook Messenger and Instagram as well as Apple’s iMessage.