Main points
- Facebook Messenger now allows users to edit sent messages within 15 minutes, making it easy to fix typos or errors.
- Edited messages can still be reported for abuse, and Meta will be able to view previous versions of the edited message.
- To edit a message in Facebook Messenger, simply tap and hold on the message, select Edit, make the necessary changes, and tap the checkmark to save them.
We’ve all sent a message to someone and then immediately realized we’d spelled something wrong.
In many cases we have typed this word a million times but this time we typed it wrong and oh look, it turned some harmless word into a rude word. Many messaging platforms allow similar messages to be edited, hopefully saving many blushes before it’s too late. Since 2022, Apple’s iMessage has offered the ability to edit and unsend iMessages, and now one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms has followed suit.
That platform is Meta’s Facebook Messenger, and the company somewhat buried the news in a larger press release sharing details about the new end-to-end encryption feature. Thankfully, editing messages in Facebook Messenger is quick and easy, and you’ll be done in no time.
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Can you edit Facebook Messenger chats?
You have 15 minutes to do this
Yes. In the press release I mentioned earlier, Meta announced that people will now be able to edit messages up to 15 minutes after they were sent that may have been sent prematurely, or that you just wanted to change. The 15 minute time frame is important and you need to make sure you make any changes before that time limit ends. Thankfully, most of us catch spelling errors almost immediately after hitting the send button—but never, it seems, before—so this shouldn’t be a big deal.
There’s more good news, as Meta notes that people “can still report abuse in edited messages, and Meta will be able to see previous versions of edited messages.” That’s good to know.
How to view your Facebook web browser history (and close it)
Here’s how to use Facebook’s new link history feature to view your in-app browser history. Also, if you think this is a spying tactic, how to disable it.
How to edit a sent Messenger message
Tap and hold on the message to select Edit
Yuan
Editing a sent message in Facebook Messenger is easy, all you have to do is tap and hold on the message you want to edit, then tap the conveniently named Edit button. From there, you’ll have the opportunity to make the edits you want, then just click the checkmark to save the changes and the edited message will be sent to your recipients. It’s really simple.
- Go to message box: Find the message you sent to edit.
- Click and hold on the message: On your device, tap and hold the message you want to edit. This will display a menu with various options.
- Select edit: In the menu that appears, look for the Edit option. It is usually clearly labeled.
- Edit your message: After clicking “Edit”, the message will become editable. You can now make the necessary changes to the text.
- save Changes: When you’re done editing, click the checkmark to save your changes. This action will update the message in the chat.
With this new feature, there’s no reason for those typos to go away.
How to turn off active status on Facebook and Facebook Messenger
Here’s how to turn off Activity Status on Facebook and Messenger, or stop showing that you’re online so you can use them in incognito mode.
FAQ
Q: Don’t have Messenger installed yet?
The Facebook Messenger app can be downloaded for free from the App Store, and the app is also available for free on the Google Play Store.
Other changes in the latest round of Messenger updates include new controls over who receives read receipts, disappearing messages that now last 24 hours, and upgrades to the photo and video sharing system.