WhatsApp adds iMessage-like editing with a 15 minute window

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps on the planet. To help keep it that way, the app has to keep adding new features, and the latest is the ability to edit a message within 15 minutes of sending.

On Monday, the company officially announced a brand new way to fix your mistakes, even after you send a message. Technically beginning its rollout today, WhatsApp now supports editing messages even after they’ve been sent.

After sending a message you want to edit, which means you can add or remove text as you see fit, you’ll need to long-press on the sent message. Pressing on the message long enough will pop up an “Edit” option, which will be available for up to 15 minutes after the message was initially sent.

After editing the message and sending it out again, the new message will show “edited” right alongside the message. This will give clarity to everyone involved. There isn’t a history of the edits, though.

Finally, the edited messages are still protected with end-to-end encryption. The rollout is beginning now, but it will take at least a couple weeks before the feature is available for all WhatsApp users.