How to edit or unsend an iMessage in iOS 16

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

We have all done it, sending a text message and regretting it. A message with a wrong word in it, a text with a spelling error, or a sudden realization that you don't want to come to the party are all possibilities.

Until now, there was nothing you could do about it on iMessage except to say, "I didn't mean that!"

If you want to unsend a message, you have to do it within 15 minutes of sending it, but if you want to edit it, you have to do it within the same time frame.

If the other person is on an earlier version, it fails in an inelegant way. There may be other issues that you need to be aware of when using this feature.

Related

Don’t rely on iMessage’s new unsend feature yet

It can still be useful. There is a way to use it in the newest version of the mobile operating system.

To change the message

• Long-press on the message.
• On the drop-down menu, tap Edit.
• Edit your message and tap the checkmark to the right of the message to send the correction. (Or tap the “x” to the left of the message if you’ve changed your mind about changing the text).

To delete the message

• Long-press on the message.
• On the drop-down menu, tap Undo Send.
• The message will immediately disappear (in a rather pretty “poof!”).

If you long-press on your message after 15 minutes, you won't be able to send or edit it.