As the name implies, instant messaging is a fast-paced means of communication. This characteristic has numerous advantages – but also a few disadvantages: due to the fast pace, typos are the rule rather than the exception, and, what’s worse, sometimes messages get sent to the wrong contact in the heat of the moment.
These disadvantages are now a thing of the past: with the latest versions of Threema for Android and iOS, sent messages can be edited and deleted on the recipient’s end.
Editing Sent Messages
Whether it’s correcting a misspelling, adding clarifying information, or improving unfortunate wording: Threema messages can now be edited within the first six hours. Once a message is updated, there’s an indication in the speech bubble to let the recipient know the message was edited, and in the message details, the edit history provides an overview of all the changes that have been made. (At this point, the edit history is only available on iOS and in the beta version of the desktop app, but it will become available on Android with an upcoming update.)
How to edit a sent message:
Android: Tap and hold the message, select the pencil icon, and edit the message in the text-input field. To save the changes, tap the checkmark.
iOS: Tap and hold the message, select “Edit,” and make the changes in the text-input field. To save the changes, tap the Send button.
Threema 2.0 for desktop (beta): Move the mouse over the message and wait for the arrow to appear. Tap on it to open the context menu, and select “Edit.” Make the the changes in the text-input field, and click the Send button or press Enter to save the changes.
Deleting Sent Messages on the Recipient’s End
Some people use different chat wallpapers for different contacts to avoid accidentally sending a message to the wrong person. In case it still happens, there’s now a way to retract such messages within six hours. Instead of the message’s content, “This message has been deleted” will be displayed.
It is important to stress that the ability to delete sent messages is first and foremost a convenience feature and doesn’t provide security in a very strict sense. For example, a sent message can only be deleted on the recipient’s end if the recipient’s mobile device is connected to the Internet.
Nevertheless, these features have been requested by users very often and can come in handy in a variety of situations.
To learn more about Threema 5.5 for Android and Threema 6.2 for iOS, please refer to the changelog.