You can finally edit WhatsApp messages, with one major limitation

We’ve been hearing about a message editing feature in WhatsApp for years, but it’s never materialized. Interestingly, plenty of other messaging services have had this feature, so it’s been a real head-scratcher why it’s taken WhatsApp so long.

However, the wait is now over. Starting today, Meta is rolling out the ability to edit WhatsApp messages. The feature will be available for all global users on both iOS and Android. You should see the feature active now, or you will in the next few weeks.

Using the feature is simple. You simply long-press a message you’ve sent and select Edit. You can then change the message in whatever way you need. Finally, you can save your changes, and the other users in the chat will see the newest version of the message.

Any edited message will get a little tag that says “Edited,” so other users can know a message has changed. As with all other types of messages on WhatsApp, edited messages will remain end-to-end encrypted.

There is one sizable limitation to your ability to edit WhatsApp messages: a 15-minute window. In other words, you have just 15 minutes to edit a message after sending it. If you miss this window, you will no longer be able to edit that message. Obviously, you also can only edit your own messages.