Unsending texts, editing messages, and other significant changes in iOS 16 Messages

When iOS 16 is released this fall, it will include some significant changes to Messages that may save you from embarrassment caused by typos and hastily sent texts. However, Messages' new abilities are not without limitations.

We're talking about two Messages additions in particular: the ability to edit iMessages you've already sent and, in more dire situations, the ability to completely undo sent messages.

It shouldn't be too difficult to imagine situations in which you'd want Messages to save you from yourself. Consider a text message you sent to colleagues about an attitude shift, but in your haste to send the text, you omitted the "f" in "shift." Or when you decide to send a romantic text to your spouse during the day, only to discover that you tapped on the wrong string of texts and messaged one of your coworkers instead. In these and many other situations, Edit and Undo can be lifesavers.

Of course, neither feature will make you impenetrable, as both editing and unsending messages in Messages have limitations. Based on Apple's WWDC preview, here's a closer look at those top iOS 16 features, as well as a couple other changes to iOS 16 Messages.

On that note, iOS 16 is still in beta — developers are up to beta 4, and more public beta updates are expected between now and the fall. Features may change between now and the full release in the fall, but we're confident that what we've seen in previews will be very close to the final version of iOS 16 Messages.

iMessage Editing and Unsending in iOS 16

In iOS 16, the process is the same whether you want to edit or unsend a text. Press the offending message to bring up a pop-up window with the usual options for replying, copying, and translating the message, as well as a row of tapbacks. In iOS 16, two new options have been added to the pop-up window: Edit and Undo Send.

When you select Edit, the cursor appears at the bottom of the message. The on-screen keyboard appears, and you can change the message's text to your heart's content. When you're finished, tap the checkmark to the right to save your changes. Under the new text, a notation that you've edited the message appears.

In iOS 16, you have a 15-minute window to edit your text message, and you can only make five changes. Your recipient will notice the changes, at least at first. Beta testers who have installed the iOS 16 developer beta have reported that, for the time being, edits and undos are only available on other devices running iOS 16. iPhones running iOS 15.5 and earlier can still see all of your typos.

Unsending a message had a 15-minute window as well, but with the release of iOS 16 developer beta 4 on July 27, that window was reduced to 2 minutes.

Other editing tools will be added to Messages in iOS 16

Undo and Redo Send has gotten the most attention from Apple's iOS 16 preview, but it's not the only change to Messages. You can also mark message threads as unread, which is useful if a string of text messages arrives while you're too busy to give them your full attention.

Simply swipe right on the main messages screen and tap the Mark as Unread button that appears to mark messages as unread. You can then go back and read the messages at your leisure. (Pressing and holding the thread and then selecting Mark as Unread from the resulting pop-up menu should also work.)

Deleted Messages and Conversations will also remain in iOS 16, giving you the opportunity to recover anything you've deleted by mistake. iOS 16 introduces a new Recent Deleted Messages folder, which can be accessed by tapping the Edit command on the main Message screen and stores deleted threads for up to 30 days. The concept is identical to when you delete photos or notes from those apps.

In iOS 16, Messages gains new capabilities, including the ability to collaborate with other users in apps such as Files, Keynote, and Notes from within the messaging app, as well as SharePlay functionality.

We'll go over those features in greater detail once the public beta is released. For the time being, the improved editing tools in Messages appear to be one of the more welcome additions to iOS 16.