Get All Access for $5/mo

This is How Editing and Unsending Messages Will Work in iMessage The new features will be a first for the tech giant, set to debut on iOS 16.

By Emily Rella

NurPhoto | Getty Images

Apple's long-awaited iOS 16 is set to roll out next month with a slew of new features and updates — the most anticipated being the ability to edit and unsend messages.

The feature is now available to view in beta mode but will rollout on iPhones everywhere once iOS 16 is available on iPhone 7 models or later.

The beta version reveals how to use the feature, which is thankfully pretty simple, given the urgent nature of wanting to unsend or correct a message.

In order to edit a message, simply hold down the message you've sent and an "edit" option will pop up beneath the different text reaction options. Select the option, edit the text and click the blue checkmark that appears. The person you send the edited message to will receive a notification that you have done so.

In order to unsend a message, the process is the same — hold down the message and an "unsend message" option will pop up. Select that option and it will notify both you and the receiver that a message has been unsent.

However, if a message has already been edited, it cannot be unsent.

Original story below.

Apple's coveted WWDC (Worldwide Developer Conference) is underway.

The keynote began at 1 p.m. PST in Cupertino, California, with the conference set to reveal what the tech behemoth has in the product and software pipeline, something that makes headlines each year when exciting new features and launches are announced.

One of the most troubling (and anxiety-inducing) features of all Apple iOS systems has long been the inability to alter an iMessage once it's sent into the ether.

Related: Apple Made It Harder for Thieves to Make Money Off of Stolen IPhones

Whether it's a message you regret sending or sent in error, or an important message that you fumbled with a misspelling or missed detail, sending any sort of erroneous message can be a less-than-pleasant experience.

Revealed on Monday, Apple has shared that in its latest software update (iOS 16), iMessage will now not only have an edit button, but an unsend option as well, something that's a complete game changer for the company and iMessage senders everywhere.

The newest update will also let users mark a message as unread even after it's been opened.

"These three features are going to make a big difference in how you use messages every single day," Apple's software engineering SVP Craig Federighi explained.

iOS 16 is set to roll out in September 2022.

You can watch Apple's WWDC here.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Starting a Business

I Left the Corporate World to Start a Chicken Coop Business — Here Are 3 Valuable Lessons I Learned Along the Way

Board meetings were traded for barnyards as a thriving new venture hatched.

Business News

'Passing By Wide Margins': Elon Musk Celebrates His 'Guaranteed Win' of the Highest Pay Package in U.S. Corporate History

Musk's Tesla pay package is almost 140 times higher than the annual pay of other high-performing CEOs.

Business News

Joey Chestnut Is Going From Nathan's to Netflix for a Competition 15 Years in the Making

Chestnut was banned from this year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a "rival" contract. Now, he'll compete in a Netflix special instead.

Marketing

Are Your Business's Local Listings Accurate and Up-to-Date? Here Are the Consequences You Could Face If Not.

Why accurate local listings are crucial for business success — and how to avoid the pitfalls of outdated information.

Money & Finance

Day Traders Often Ignore This One Topic At Their Peril

Boring things — like taxes — can sometimes be highly profitable.

Growing a Business

He Immigrated to the U.S. and Got a Job at McDonald's — Then His Aversion to Being 'Too Comfortable' Led to a Fast-Growing Company That's Hard to Miss

Voyo Popovic launched his moving and storage company in 2018 — and he's been innovating in the industry ever since.