Phone calls died in 2010, giving way to SMS. Social media apps then spelled the death of both SMS and human interaction. The emoji and, more specifically, its use as a substitute for meaningful conversation in messaging apps is but the latest way to pull us even further apart. Regardless of the inevitable downfall of society that will result, we can all agree that message reactions on WhatsApp couldn’t come a moment sooner. Messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and even Google’s recently-implemented RCS all feature seamless message reactions. Let’s look at how WhatsApp’s message reactions work, so you can tell people exactly how you feel about their memes.
Who can use WhatsApp message reactions?
WhatsApp message reactions exited beta testing on May 5, 2022, becoming available to all users on Android, iOS, and desktop app versions. Android users on version 2.22.10.74 and iOS users on version 22.9.76 all have access to the feature.
How do you react to a message on WhatsApp?
If you’re a long-time user of other Meta messaging services or pretty much any other major messaging platform, you’ll find the reactions to be intuitive. In case you’re not familiar with Facebook Messenger or Instagram’s messaging interface, reacting to a message is simple — just follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp (the same applies to Facebook Messenger and Instagram).
- Long press the message to which you wish to react.
- A pop-up will appear with six available emoji.
- Select one of the six emoji in the pop-up to use as the reaction.
- Your message reaction will appear below the message you previously selected.
Now you have the power to wordlessly react to messages how you see fit.
How to remove reacts on WhatsApp
If you’ve accidentally reacted to someone’s message inappropriately, you can remove the reaction:
- Tap on the emoji at the bottom of the message
- In the pop-up, tap your reaction to remove it from the message.
As of writing, there are six emoji available, but as the feature develops, WhatsApp will add support for all emoji and skin tones you can typically use in messages. If you tried the steps above and you don’t see reaction notifications in WhatsApp, check the Play Store, App Store, or APKMirror for the latest version of WhatsApp.
By default, WhatsApp will notify you when someone reacts to a message you have sent in a group or private chat, but you can change this behavior in the app settings. You can locate different reaction notifications options for groups and direct messages under Settings -> Notifications as toggles called Reaction Notifications.
Who needs words?
Message reactions in WhatsApp are an easy way to eliminate unnecessary clutter that results from the current practice of sending emoji as reactions to messages. We’ve all been in those group chats and received back-to-back notification alerts because the whole group thought your aunt’s cat was the cutest thing around.
If you’re not into the idea of selling your data to Meta, Google Messages also has message reactions! Or you can avoid messaging people altogether, and see what other great apps Android has to offer.
