One of many largest options coming to the iPhone later this yr as a part of iOS 16 is the power to edit, and even unsend, messages which have already been despatched. Ever unintentionally despatched kisses to a piece colleague, or despatched a message to the individual you have been gossiping about? That’s about to get a complete much less awkward in iOS 16.
For those who’re at present enrolled within the developer beta, right here’s how one can edit and unsend messages on iPhone in iOS 16.
In abstract
Modifying despatched messages on iPhone in iOS 16:
- Faucet and maintain a despatched message to deliver up the choices menu.
- Faucet Edit.
- Make your adjustments.
- Faucet Achieved to save lots of your adjustments.
Deleting a despatched message on iPhone in iOS 16:
- Faucet and maintain a despatched message to deliver up the choices menu.
- Faucet Undo Ship.
Will it work with iPhones operating iOS 15?
Earlier than we get began, it’s price declaring that the method of modifying and deleting despatched messages isn’t at present backwards-compatible with older variations of iOS, together with the at present accessible iOS 15.5.
Whereas it’ll work as meant when you’re messaging another person operating the iOS 16 beta, when you try to edit a message to somebody operating iOS 15, they’ll obtain a follow-up message with the edited textual content whereas the unique additionally stays.
That’s not supreme, nevertheless it’s manageable. What isn’t nice is the truth that unsending a message received’t delete it on an iOS 15 consumer’s iPhone. Which means even when you unsend your message, the recipient will nonetheless obtain it.
The caveat is that it’s nonetheless early days within the growth of iOS 16, and there’s each chance that this might change by launch later this yr.
In any case, it shouldn’t be too troublesome for Apple to roll out a ultimate iOS 15 replace that brings help for modifying and unsending messages for these folks but to (or unable to) replace to iOS 16 at launch. We’ll simply have to attend and see for now.
So, with that being stated, ensure that whoever it’s you’re texting is on iOS 16, otherwise you may find yourself with egg in your face.
Find out how to edit a despatched message on iPhone in iOS 16
We’ve all been there in some unspecified time in the future: you’re messaging somebody, and also you both say one thing you shouldn’t, otherwise you merely make a typo. Both means, it may be embarrassing, and up till now, there was nothing you might do about it.
The brand new Edit perform within the Messages app is about to vary that, nonetheless.
Merely faucet and maintain on the despatched message to deliver up the choices menu. From there, faucet Edit and also you’ll have the ability to edit the textual content of the message you simply despatched. Edit punctuation, substitute phrases, and do no matter else you need, then faucet completed to complete the edit.
Apple
It’s not a very stealthy expertise although; the recipient will get a notification underneath the edited message that claims Delivered – Edited, although in contrast to some alternate options, the recipient received’t have the ability to see the preliminary message.
It’s additionally price noting that there’s a 15-minute time restrict on modifying despatched messages – after that, you’ll simply must apologise the old style means.
Find out how to unsend a message on iPhone in iOS 16
However what about when you’ve despatched a message to the incorrect individual? Fortunately, there’s additionally the choice to unsend a message you’ve lately despatched in iOS 16 – although as famous earlier, it’ll solely work on iPhones operating iOS 16, so be conscious.

Apple
The method is simple too; merely faucet and maintain the message in query to deliver up the choices menu, and faucet Undo Ship to delete the message from each yours and the recipient’s message threads.
As with modifying despatched texts, there’s a 15-minute time restrict on unsending texts in iOS 16. After that, you might need some explaining to do…