How to Edit iMessage Texts [Video]

Made a typo in your text? With iOS 16 or later you can finally edit an iMessage.

Apple lets you edit a recently sent message up to five times. Follow these steps quickly because you only have fifteen minutes to edit your original message.

Step One

Tap to launch the Messages app from your Springboard, then open your conversation.

Step Two

Press and hold (long press) the text message you want to modify, then tap Edit from the contextual menu that appears.

Step Three

Alter the text, then press the blue checkmark icon to save your changes.

Step Four

If the person you’re messaging is using a device with iOS 16 or later, the message bubble is updated to reflect your edits on their device, and both of you can tap Edited to see previous versions of your message. Tap Hide Edits to hide your edit history.


If the person you’re messaging is using a device with iOS 15.6 or earlier, iPadOS 15.6 or earlier, macOS 12 or earlier, or is using SMS, they receive a new message with your updated text.

Important Notes

To unsend or edit messages, you must be using iMessage with iOS 16 or later. If your recipients have devices with earlier versions of iOS, they receive follow-up messages with the preface “Edited to” and your new message in quotation marks. SMS messages can’t be unsent or edited.

Besides the edit feature, iOS 16 also added the option to unsend text messages. We've posted instructions on how to do that here:

● How to Unsend iMessage Texts

What's Difference Between iMessage and SMS texts

iMessages are texts, photos, or videos that you send to another iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac over Wi-Fi or cellular-data networks. These messages are always encrypted and appear in blue text bubbles. To turn iMessage on or off, go to Settings > Messages. To send an iMessage, open Apple's Messages app.

If you aren’t using iMessage, you can use SMS/MMS. These messages are texts and photos that you send to other cell phones or another iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. SMS/MMS messages aren't encrypted and appear in green text bubbles on your device.