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WhatsApp for iOS rolling out the ability to use any emoji to react to a message

WhatsApp for iOS is finally rolling out Reactions 2.0. With that, users can now choose any emoji they would like to react to a message in a single or group chat. Here’s what you need to know about this new feature coming to the app.

Reactions 2.0 has just been announced by Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He writes:

We’re rolling out the ability to use any emoji as a reaction on WhatsApp. Some of my favorites: 🤖🍟🏄‍♂️😎💯

While the first iteration of Reactions for WhatsApp launched early in May with six different emojis, the app is now following the same path as Instagram and letting users choose whatever emoji they would like to use.

It’s important to note that Reactions 2.0 started to roll out today, which means it can take several days and even weeks for the feature to start working for all WhatsApp users. To make sure you have this new option, follow the steps below:

  1. Long-press on a message.
  2. Tap to select one of the displayed emoji or the “+” icon to select another emoji
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Just like Instagram, users can change their reactions to a different one by long-pressing the same message and changing the emoji, or just clicking on the same one to remove it.

When the feature launched early in May, WhatsApp noted a few things about this feature:

  • You can only add one reaction per message.
  • Reactions to disappearing messages will disappear when the message disappears.
  • It’s not possible to hide reactions or reaction counts.
  • Recipients might see your reaction before you remove it or if removing it wasn’t successful. You won’t be notified if removing a reaction wasn’t successful.

Apart from this feature, WhatsApp has been rolling several other functions, such as the ability to call up to 32 people, create a Community, and more.

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