WhatsApp's still tweaking message reactions, this time on the Mac

Whatsapp Mac Reactions Screenshot (Image credit: WABetaInfo)

What you need to know

WhatsApp is testing a change to the way reactions will be used on the Mac.
People will be able to enter the message menu and select the option to react.
The reaction button is still available.

WhatsApp is currently testing a change to its Mac app that will give users another way to react to messages.

As WhatsApp works to improve its apps across all platforms it's already been hard at work adding reactions to the Mac version of its app. Now, according to a new WABetaInfo report, the instant messaging service is now also looking to give people a new way to react to individual messages.

While the existing way WhatsApp planned for people to react to messages was to click a button beside them, a new option appears to be to enter the message menu and then make a selection.

As you can see in this screenshot, the button next to the message is not the only way to react to messages, but WhatsApp will introduce a "React to message" option, available in a future update right within the message menu. It must be said that one more step is needed if the user wants to react to messages by using the option within the message menu, and the button next to the message is the fastest way to send a reaction, but WhatsApp has decided to include this alternative.

The ability to react to messages in WhatsApp is still being worked on and it could be a while before we all get to test it out. But even without reactions, WhatsApp is already one of the best Mac apps for people who want to stay in touch with people. The addition of reactions will surely take it to a new level, though.

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.