WhatsApp begins testing its new message reactions feature on iOS

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WhatsApp logo
WhatsApp logo (Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / iMore)

What you need to know

  • WhatsApp has begun testing message reactions with iPhone beta testers.
  • Message Reactions allow people to react to messages using emojis.
  • The new feature is still being tested ahead of a full rollout.

WhatsApp has begun to test its new message reactions, making the new feature available to a limited number of people who are part of the company's TestFlight beta.

The new WhatsApp reactions will closely mimic similar features across other instant messaging platforms, including that of iMessage. While the feature isn't yet ready to roll out to those who are testing the version of the app that's in the App Store, the WABetaInfo folk report that some beta testers have begun to see the reactions appear for them.

Wabetainfo Whatsapp Message Reactions

Wabetainfo Whatsapp Message Reactions (Image credit: WABetaInfo)

As you can see in this screenshot, it is very easy to check if the ability to react to messages is enabled for your WhatsApp account: just tap and hold a chat bubble to see if the reaction tray is available. This is the first version of message reactions that includes 6 emojis: Like, Love, Laugh, Suprised, Sad, and Thanks. Note that more reactions will be available in a future update: Will Cathcart has also announced on Twitter the feature to come at a later date.

WhatsApp is one of the best iPhone apps for people who want to stay in touch with friends and family and the addition of message reactions could help keep threads and chats from becoming too cluttered. Let's hope that it isn't too long before they come to WhatsApp for all of us!

Rather not use WhatsApp? Check out our collection of the best alternatives to WhatsApp and choose a different one instead.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.