How Google Messages will let you edit recent sends

While we wait for a slew of existing features to roll out, Google Messages is working on the ability to edit what you’ve recently sent.

It’s a staple of modern messaging services at this point. Long-press on a message you sent and a new “Edit” pencil icon — as shown by AssembleDebug — will appear in the toolbar at the top next to copy, delete, star, and overflow. Editing is available to messages sent in the last 30 minutes. 

This will place that message in the compose field for you to edit, with a checkmark in place of the send button. 

Strings in the latest beta today (version 20240213_01_RC00) indicate that Google will note the “Original message” in addition to what it was “Edited to”: 

• <string name=”edited_message_title”>”Edited to: “</string>
• <string name=”original_message_title”>”Original message: “</string>

From what was enabled by AssembleDebug today, something you’ve edited is sent as a new message for those that don’t have the feature active. What could be happening behind-the-scenes is that the receiving Google Messages client is more or less interpreting that edit and seamlessly displaying it to the recipient. This would be similar to how emoji reactions work today with the iPhone.

Meanwhile, this beta also reveals that the double tap gesture will also work to remove a reaction.

• <string name=”double_tap_to_remove_reacton_label”>Remove %s reaction</string>

More on Google Messages:

• Google Messages might be switching to double tap to react
• Verizon switching to Google’s Jibe for RCS on Android
• Google Messages rolls out text field redesign with shortcuts bar