WhatsApp has been in the spotlight for its anticipated edit message feature, which is expected to be integrated across all versions of its app. This function would allow users to modify sent messages, with an ‘edited’ label indicating changes to all participants in a chat. Speculations regarding the development of this feature by the Meta-owned platform surfaced last year, particularly for users operating on Android and iOS devices. Recent developments suggest that the feature may soon become available for users on iOS.
A report from update tracker WABetaInfo confirmed that WhatsApp is actively working on the edit message feature for beta testers on iOS, with plans for it to be included in a future app update. The beta version 23.6.0.74 of WhatsApp for iOS, available through the TestFlight app, now displays a specific alert for edited messages.
According to the report, this update will notify all chat participants whenever a message has been edited. The company is likely to roll out this feature after discontinuing older versions of WhatsApp that do not support message editing, pushing users to upgrade to the latest version capable of this functionality.
Furthermore, the report reiterated previous assertions that users will have a 15-minute window to edit messages after sending them. Once altered, the message will retain the ‘edited’ tag within the conversation.
In addition to the editing function, WhatsApp is reportedly developing a new Audio Chat feature, which is expected to be integrated directly into chat windows. While details regarding its functionality remain limited, this feature has already been identified in a beta version for Android, hinting at a forthcoming iOS version as well.
The platform also recently rolled out two updates regarding its WhatsApp Groups feature. One update empowers group admins to regulate who can join, while the other introduces a search functionality, enabling users to find specific groups by searching for contacts and viewing groups they share in common.