[iOS 16] How to edit and unsend iMessage texts on your iPhone?

On iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, you now have the option to unsend and edit iMessages, which is one of the new features offered in the Messages app.

Often, you might hit send on an iMessage text and within a matter of seconds, you regret why did you send that message. During such moments, you’ll probably wonder if there was a way to edit the text or even unsend it. This is possible on platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, but can you do it on iMessage texts? After a long wait, this feature has finally become available for iOS users. It is possible to edit or unsend iMessage texts on iOS devices even after the texts have been sent.

How to unsend an iMessage text on your iPhone?

• Open the Messages app on your iOS device and navigate to the conversation that you’re looking to unsend.
• Then, tap on the message till you a pop-up menu comes up. From the list of options, you’ll need to tap on the “Undo Send” option.
• Then, you’ll notice an animation on the screen and the message will get deleted straight away. You’ll also see the text “You unsent a message” on your screen.

This feature will only work if both your and the recipient’s iPhone is running on iOS 16. Otherwise, the recipient will still see the message despite you unsending it. Moreover, the other person will get to know that you deleted the text and they’ll be notified about it.

How to edit an iMessage text on your iPhone?

• Launch the Messages app on your iPhone and head over to the message that you want to edit.
• Then, long press on the message until you see a pop-up menu. In that menu, tap the “Edit” option.
• You’ll be able to edit the entire text message or add or remove things without any limitations. Once you’ve finished editing, you can tap on the Blue tick icon.
• There will be the text “Edited” mentioned below the message to indicate that the message has been edited. The other person will be able to see the “Edited” message below the text.

Similar to the unsend message feature, this one will also work for up to 15 minutes after sending the message. In case the recipient’s iPhone is running on an older version of iOS, the changes will not be reflected.

That sums it up nicely. Assuming that the recipient is using iOS 16 and/or macOS Ventura, the message will either not be sent at all or it will be altered based on what you have just done.