What To Know About Editing iPhone Messages And Who Can See The Unedited Version
So long, embarrassing autocorrect mishaps!
Gone are the days of your typo totally changing the meaning of the message you sent to the group chat. When Apple unveiled the features for the new iOS 16 update on June 6, fans couldn’t help but get excited for all the much-needed changes coming to Messages, including the ability to edit messages after they’ve been sent. The feature finally launched on Sept. 12, but Apple users have a lot of questions about how to edit a message on iPhone with iOS 16. Lucky for you, I’ve got the answers, so here’s what you need to know.
IYDK, the new iOS 16 update includes a mix of helpful, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing features, like the new buy now, pay later option from Apple Pay called Apple Pay Later, Live Captions on FaceTime, and a variety of new Lock Screen wallpaper, style, and widget options. But one of the most highly requested changes is in Messages. With iOS 16, users can mark conversations as unread to return back to them later, recover messages that’ve been deleted within the last 30 days, and unsend and edit messages even after you’ve hit the send button. I know, game-changer, right? Autocorrect better start counting its days.
If you’re skeptical, that’s understandable, but trust me — though it might sound complicated, editing a message is actually pretty simple. Here’s the rundown on all things message editing so that you won’t have to host an extensive trial run in your bestie group chat to work out all the kinks.
How To Edit A Message With iOS 16
Editing messages is super low-stress. After you’ve pressed send on a message with a major faux pas, you’ll have up to 15 minutes to make your edit. During those 15 minutes, all you have to do is:
- Tap and hold the message you want to edit until it becomes isolated.
- Below the message, you’ll see a pop-up with a series of options. Select “Edit.”
- Make your edit, then resubmit the message by tapping the blue check mark to the right of the text box.
Can The Receiver See A Message Before It's Edited?
Probably the scariest part of editing a message is knowing whether or not the receiver will see it before it’s been edited. Unfortunately, receivers will not only be able to see the original, unedited message if they catch it before the edit, but they’ll also be supplied with an edit history of the text so they can see the changes you’ve made. That’s right, even if you’ve got quick fingers, you won’t be able to ~fully~ beat them to the punch. It’s kind of a bummer, but it’s also probably for the best.
How To View Edit History Of A Message
After a text has been edited, both the sender and the receiver will see a blue indicator underneath the message that says “Edited.” If you tap the blue text, a faded version of the OG text will appear above the new message so you can see what was initially sent.
You can also hide the edit history by tapping the blue “Hide Edits” option underneath the text.
Is The Receiver Notified If You Edit A Message?
There is no separate message sent to alert the receiver of an edit, but they will see it on the screen.
How Long Can You Take To Edit A Message?
Senders can edit a message up to 15 minutes after the text has been sent. That’s a pretty big window of time, especially because editing messages isn’t just reserved for the most recent message sent. Yup, you can edit any message in a conversation, but if the conversation is moving fast, those 15 minutes could disappear in the blink of an eye.
As for unsending a message, you’ll only have two minutes (yes, two minutes) to make your move. Talk about being quick to the draw. According to Apple, users can edit and unsend the same message within the same period of time.
How Many Times Can You Edit A Message?
According to Apple’s Reviewer’s Guide for iOS 16, users can edit a single message up to five times. You know what they say, fifth time’s a charm.
Do Edited Messages Show Up On Mac?
Edited messages look a bit different on your laptop. Instead of being able to open and hide the edit history, edited messages will come through as a separate text below the original that read “Edited to” before the message that was edited.
Can Users Change Their Settings So That People Can’t Edit Messages?
According to Apple, users cannot switch the Edit function on and off whenever they want, which means the feature will be on and available to anyone with iOS 16 with an iPhone 8 or later. With no way to turn it off, please remember to edit responsibly, y’all — it could get messy out there.
Despite all the hiccups that could come from a feature like this, it looks like Apple thought of everything when creating the new edit message function in Messages.
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