WhatsApp now lets you EDIT your messages – but there’s a huge catch

WhatsApp now lets you EDIT your messages – but there’s a huge catch


WhatsApp now lets you EDIT your messages – but there’s a huge catch

  • WhatsApp has launched a new Edit tool today for users worldwide 
  • However, you can only edit your message up to 15 minutes after sending it

We’ve all been there – you fire off a quick message on WhatsApp only to discover it’s littered with typos. 

But the days of sending a follow-up explaining what you really meant are finally a thing of the past, thanks to WhatsApp’s latest feature. 

The Meta-owned messsaging app has launched an Edit button.

‘For the moments when you make a mistake, or simply change your mind, you can now edit your sent messages,’ WhatsApp said in a blog post. 

However, there’s a huge catch – you can only edit your message up to 15 minutes after sending it, after which point it’s there to stay. 

WhatsApp has launched an edit button for the moments when you make a mistake, or simply change your mind

How to use the Edit tool 

To use the new tool, simply long-press on a sent message and choose ‘Edit’ from the menu.

Edited messages will display ‘edited’ alongside them, so your friends will be aware of the correction, although they won’t be able to see the edit history. 

WhatsApp announced the new tool in a blog post this afternoon. 

‘From correcting a simple misspelling to adding extra context to a message, we’re excited to bring you more control over your chats,’ it said. 

To use the new tool, simply long-press on a sent message and choose ‘Edit’ from the menu.

Edited messages will display ‘edited’ alongside them, so your friends will be aware of the correction, although they won’t be able to see the 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 added. 

Meta founder, Mark Zuckerberg, also posted about the new feature, writing on his Facebook page: ‘You can now edit your WhatsApp messages up to 15 mins after they’re sent!’

Several excited users have replied to express their delight at the new feature. 

Edited messages will display 'edited' alongside them, so your friends will be aware of the correction, although they won't be able to see the edit history

Edited messages will display ‘edited’ alongside them, so your friends will be aware of the correction, although they won’t be able to see the edit history

‘Sounds good. Thanks for improving the service,’ one wrote. 

Another added: ‘Very helpful especially when sending to groups.’ 

And one joked: ‘I once texted my supervisor “Good morning Madman” instead of Good morning Madam, and I didn’t realise on time. 

‘She sent me a screenshot 10 days later! This is helpful..’

The edit tool has started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.

BEST WHATSAPP ALTERNATIVES

If you’re considering deleting WhatsApp, you’ll be happy to hear that there are several alternative apps to choose from:

1. Telegram

With more than 400 million users, Telegram is one of the most popular WhatsApp alternatives. 

While it looks very similar to WhatsApp, what sets it apart is the fact that it gives the option to set messages to self-destruct after a given period of time, leaving no trace. 

Telegram also offers end-to-end encryption.

However, as a WhatsApp spokesperson pointed out, Telegram ‘does not offer end-to-end encryption by default so it’s not necessarily more secure than WhatsApp’.

2. Signal 

Signal is one of the most secure messaging apps, thanks to the fact that it is open-source. 

This means that the code for the app is publicly available to view, making it near-impossible for the app’s creators to sneak in any backdoors that could allow governments or hackers to spy on your messages.

3. iMessage

If you use an iPhone, you may consider simply switching to iMessage, Apple’s own messaging app. 

The app has a number of impressive features included no character limits, the ability to send pictures and videos, and of course Apple’s animated emoji feature, Animoji.

Unfortunately, iMessage is only available for iPhone users, so you’ll struggle to interact with anyone using an Android. 

4. Google Messages

Google’s answer to iMessage is Google Messages, an Android-only messaging service. 

The app replaces your standard SMS app, and integrates with all of Google’s apps and services, making it easy to share images or use Google Assistant. 

5. Facebook Messenger

If you were put off using WhatsApp due to its sharing of data with Facebook, Facebook Messenger may not be the best option for you.

However, the app offers a number of helpful features, including games, secret conversations and video calls. 



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