WhatsApp now allows users to respond to messages with an emoji in both individual and group chats, a month after its launch.
In a Facebook post this week, Mark Zuckerberg announced the feature’s launch.
So far, six emojis appear to be available, including the love, folded hands, and shocked expression.
The folded hands emoji was added ‘to help spread respect and thanks,’ according to Zuckerberg, who also promised that additional expressions will be added shortly.
There are certain restrictions to emoji reactions. You can only add one reply per message, for example, which is normal across Meta-owned applications such as Facebook and Instagram.
Also, because reactions and reaction counts cannot be hidden, you should use caution.
Recipients may see your reaction before you remove it or if you fail to remove it. If deleting a reaction fails, WhatsApp warns that you will not be alerted.
By pressing the reactions emoji underneath the message, users may see all of the responses to that message.
Reactions to vanishing communications, predictably, vanish when the message does.
Emoji reactions, which are popular on applications like Slack and Telegram, are expected to become more crucial when WhatsApp extends group chats from 256 to 512 participants.
Thankfully, when you react to a message in group chats, only the sender of that message will receive a notification.
How to react to a message with an emoji on WhatsApp?
To respond to a message with an emoji, just long-press the message and then tap the desired emoji.
By long pressing the same message and tapping a new emoji, you may alter your reaction to something else.
You may delete your emoji reaction to a message by long-pressing the message and tap the emoji you reacted with.
WhatsApp assures you that it won’t send a notification if you remove a reaction.
If you haven’t got the feature yet, don’t worry. A Meta spokesperson said that it could take ‘a week’ for the feature to be rolled out to all users.
