WhatsApp, a popular instant-messaging service owned by Meta, has revealed its plan to introduce a message editing feature.

Users will be able to edit their messages within a 15-minute window after sending them. This update aligns WhatsApp with competitors like Telegram and Signal who already offer similar functionality.

In the upcoming weeks, this editing feature will be rolled out to WhatsApp's massive user base of 2 billion individuals. Notably, India represents the largest market for WhatsApp, boasting 487 million users.

In a blog post on Monday, the messaging service expressed its enthusiasm for offering users more control over their chats by introducing a message editing feature. Users will now have the ability to correct typos or provide additional context to their messages. To edit a sent message, users can simply long-press on it and select "Edit" from the menu within a fifteen-minute timeframe.

To ensure transparency, edited messages will be labeled as "edited" so that recipients are aware that the content has been modified. However, the specific details of how the message has been altered over time will not be revealed. This feature aims to empower users with greater flexibility in managing their conversations on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp's announcement follows the introduction of the same feature by messaging services Telegram and Signal.

The edit function was initially introduced by the social media platform Facebook nearly a decade ago.

During that period, Facebook disclosed that over half of its users accessed the platform via mobile phones, which are more prone to typing errors.

On Facebook, edited updates are marked as such, and users can view the edit history associated with the posts.

In the previous year, Twitter, Elon Musk's social media platform, announced that its paying subscribers would have the ability to edit their tweets.

Tweets can be edited multiple times within a 30-minute window after posting.

In a blog post, Twitter stated, "Tweeting will feel more approachable and less stressful," emphasizing the aim to enable users to participate in conversations in a way that is comfortable for them. The platform also expressed its commitment to continually enhancing the user experience.