How to react to WhatsApp messages on iPhone and web

Written By Anoop Reviewed By How-to iPad iPhone Mac 7 Min Read

Things you need to know:

  • You need to be on the latest version of WhatsApp to get support for message reactions.

Meta is bridging differences between WhatsApp and its other messaging platforms with every update. The latest to this is the ability to react to WhatsApp messages. If you have used Facebook Messenger or Instagram chats, you may have already used this feature before. Whether you are using WhatsApp on iPhone, iPad, or even the web version, the feature is available on all platforms. Here in this article, we will guide you on how to react to WhatsApp messages on iPhone and Mac.

How to get emoji reactions on WhatsApp 

WhatsApp was testing the message reaction feature in the beta version for quite some time, and you had to enroll in the beta program to access it. But now, it has started to roll out publicly.

Simply update the WhatsApp app on your device to access this feature. Don’t worry if you still can’t see it. Since the feature has just rolled out, it will gradually be available for all devices.

How to react to messages on WhatsApp

While there are differences in the UI, the steps for message reactions are the same for WhatsApp for iPhone and Mac. All you have to do is:

  1. Open the message on WhatsApp.
  2. Long-press the message.
  3. Tap the emoji of your choice from the pop-up.

    React to messages on WhatsApp from iPhone

The emoji will appear below the message as a small bubble!

To react to messages on WhatsApp web,

  1. Open the chat screen where you want to react to a message.
  2. Click the smiley icon next to the message.
  3. Now, select the reaction.
    It will appear below the message.

    To react to messages on WhatsApp web

But what if you want to change the reaction or remove them? Keep reading to find out.

Change emoji reactions on WhatsApp

To change or remove message reactions on iPhone :

  1. Press and hold the message you want to change your reaction.
  2. Now, tap the emoji of your choice.
    The new emoji will appear in place of the old one.

As for changing the reaction on WhatsApp Web:

  1. Click the smiley icon next to the message you want to change your reaction.
  2. Now, click the reaction of your choice.

That’s how you can change the reaction to any messages on WhatsApp for iPhone and the web app.

How to remove message reactions on WhatsApp

There are two ways to remove message reactions.

  1. Tap/click the message you want to remove reaction.
  2. Now, tap the tap to remove option below your reaction.

    Remove message reactions on WhatsApp from iPhone

Or, you can do the same by:

  1. Tap and hold the message you want to delete your reaction.
    For PC, click the smiley icon next to the message.
  2. Select the same emoji which you chose before.

    How to remove message reactions on WhatsApp from Desktop

That’s it! You have successfully removed the emoji reaction from the WhatsApp message.

Can I hide emoji reactions on WhatsApp messages?

While WhatsApp doesn’t give you the option to hide emoji reactions, you can prevent others from reacting to your message by deleting the message using the Delete for everyone option

For iPhone:

  1. Open the conversation, tap and hold the message you want to delete.
  2. Now, tap Delete.
    You can select multiple messages if you want to.
  3. After selecting the necessary messages, tap the Trash icon.
  4. Tap Delete for Everyone.
  5. Then, tap OK to confirm.

    Tap Delete Choose Message and Tap Delete for Everyone

For WhatsApp Web:

  1. Right-click the message you want to delete.
  2. Click Delete Message.

    Hide emoji reactions on WhatsApp messages from Mac
  3. Select Delete for Everyone.

Thus, you can delete the message for everyone on WhatsApp. But keep in mind that you can only delete messages for everyone within 1 hour of sending them. You can also ask the receiver not to react to your message, but its effectiveness depends on the person you are asking.

Note: As for preventing the notification when someone reacts to your message, you need to turn off notifications on Mac if you are using WhatsApp Web, or you need to stop notifications on iPhone. Remember to only turn off the reaction notifications if you don’t want to miss the other notifications.

Why am I not able to react to messages on WhatsApp?

WhatsApp has said that they will roll out the update in batches. Hence, you will need to wait to get the update. Keep checking the App Store, and update the app as soon as it’s available.

Wrapping up…

With the new feature, the platform is closer to becoming another Facebook messenger. I hope this guide helped you react to WhatsApp messages through your device. But other than message reactions, what all features do you want to see in WhatsApp? Let me know in the comments below.

Want to level up the way you use WhatsApp? Read these:

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By Anoop Content Writer
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Anoop loves to find solutions for all your doubts on Tech. When he's not on his quest, you can find him on Twitter talking about what's in his mind.
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