Apple to let iPhone users unsend or edit messages they regret in new update

ITV News Reporter George Hancorn explains how Apple's new feature works.

iPhone users will soon be able to edit and even unsend messages they regret, thanks to Apple's new software update.

The tech giant announced the new feature during its at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) event in California on Monday, explaining it would come in the iOS 16 software update, likely to launch next year.

The update applies to Apple's iMessage app, and allows users to "edit or recall recently sent messages," as well as to "mark conversations as unread so they can come back to them later," according to a press release.

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If you do need to edit a typo in a message, the recipient will see a label on the message that says 'edited.'

The edit and unsend options will only be available for 15 minutes however, so users will have to be speedy.

Credit: Apple

The announcement was welcomed by Apple users on social media, with one tweeting: "Apple adding unsend on iOS 16 was a mistake. I’m about to make horrible life decisions."

Another said: "YOU CAN UNSEND AND UNREAD MESSAGES NOW!! APPLE SAVED US!!"

A third user tweeted: "Toxicity levels is gonna be at a all time high now with this new apple unsend option."

Users can recover deleted messages

In the new update, iMessage users will also be able to recover messages that they have deleted.

But there's a time limit on this feature as well - recently deleted messages will only be available for up to 30 days, Apple said.

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Safety tool for domestic abuse victims

A new privacy tool coming out with the update called Safety Check targets users whose personal safety is at risk from domestic abuse, according to Apple.

Phones can become stalking devices in some abusive relationships, but this tool will quickly remove all access a user may have granted to other people, such as ex-partners, on their phone.

It includes an emergency reset that helps them to sign out of iCloud on all of their devices, and reset their privacy permissions.

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