Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
SL;DR
- WhatsApp will now let you react to messages using the emoji of your choice
- You can tap the Plus symbol next to the six pre-selected message reactions and select a different emoji from your keyboard.
Update: July 13, 2022 (3:23 a.m. ET): After releasing six emoji message reactions officially, WhatsApp is now rolling out the ability to react to messages using any emoji. The update was announced by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook. WhatsApp will display a Plus symbol next to a list of six pre-selected emoji reactions. You can tap on it to select a different emoji from your keyboard.
Original article: March 22, 2022 (3:11 a.m. ET): We’ve known for a long time that WhatsApp is working on message reactions, mimicking Telegram, Discord, and Slack. Now, it looks like the Facebook-owned messaging app is finally ready to roll out the feature in some capacity.
Veteran WhatsApp secret caption WABetaInfo reports that the company is now pushing message reactions to some Android beta testers running app version 2.22.8.3. According to leakers, users can choose from six reactions, namely Like, Love, Laugh, Surprised, Sad, and Thanks.
WABetaInfo notes that it’s a limited release now, but adds that everyone should at least be able to see the reactions to messages. No word on whether this is limited to group chats, individual chats, or whether both chat types can get in on the action. For what it’s worth, like Telegram and Slack offer reactions for both group and individual chats.
This is just the latest feature to come to WhatsApp, and we’ve seen a few more additions in the last 12 months or so. Some of the more prominent features and customizations include a sticker generator on the desktop, the ability to preview voice notes before sending them, and encrypted backups.
Do you use message reactions on other platforms?
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