A few months ago, WhatsApp launched the possibility of reacting to messages through emojis; a function that has been available for a while both on Instagram, in the direct messages section, and on Facebook Messenger. WhatsApp reactions, however, are limited to a total of six emojis, with no possibility of adding new ones. At least that is, until now. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, has announced that It is now possible to choose any emoji to send to reaction mode. So you can do it.
The novelty, in particular, is being implemented as of today in WhatsApp for iOS, and will soon arrive in the Android version. To react with any emoji, it is only necessary to press and hold on the specific message and click the ‘+’ button that will appear after the six emojis that the messaging app includes by default. When you press, WhatsApp will open a new menu with the list of available emojis —all those that can be used in the app—. The user only has to search for the emoji they want to send and click on it. Finally, it will be shared as a reaction.
The app also allows you to choose the skin tone with which the user can react through an emoji. In this case, when you press, the app will first show the different skin tones available. After choosing one, the reaction will be sent automatically. The emoji menu also includes a search engine, to be able to filter those most similar to the reaction. A tab with the most recent reactions is also added.
So you can see who has reacted with an emoji on WhatsApp
WhatsApp reactions, let’s remember, are available for both group and individual chats, and are visible to any user. That is, any member of a group can see what reactions the rest of the participants have sent. To do this, they just have to click on the group of emojis that are displayed at the bottom of the message. WhatsApp will open a new tab as a list where the name of the contact and the emoji they have sent will appear.
In any case, the user can also delete a previously sent reaction. Again, you must click on the emoji that appears at the bottom of the message, and in the list of reactions, click on your name.
This, moreover, is not the only feature that WhatsApp is adding to its app. Meta’s proprietary platform is also including the ability to filter chats and sort unread chats first. Well, until now, let’s remember, they are filtered by arrival date; with the most recent appearing first. The app is also working on the possibility of editing messages to correct typos, misspellings, etc.