Google Messages Beta introduces the ability to edit sent SMS

Have you ever sent an SMS message with a typo, a blunder, or mixed up the recipients? Google is preparing something that may help you avoid the unpleasant consequences, at least partially. An edit option for sent messages is being tested in Google Messages.

Google Messages is introducing a new feature in its beta version. As reported by Android Police, development on this feature has been active since at least February, though it has only recently come to light. It allows users to edit SMS messages after sending them. Currently, this capability is available to a limited group of beta testers, and details regarding broader distribution are still unknown.

The default app for handling SMS and RCS messages on Android devices, Google Messages, might soon include a feature eagerly awaited by many. Until now, editing messages post-send has not been possible in this app.

Android Police, quoting a Twitter user known as Jhowkira2000, mentions that the feature is accessible on selected devices through AssembleDebug. Based on his reports, he accessed the feature several months ago, indicating Google has been working on this enhancement for some time.

Sent messages can be amended for up to 15 minutes after transmission. The editing process is straightforward – press and hold the sent message and click the pencil icon. You’ll then be able to modify the message’s content before confirming the changes.

No details have been shared about when this application might be released to the public. However, given its inclusion in the beta version, it is likely to become available to a broader audience soon. Messages can be edited multiple times, with only a note under the edited content to indicate that modifications have been made. Recipients will also have the option to view the message content before the edits.