WhatsApp will finally support emoji reactions to messages, according to leaked screenshot

Whatsapp Desktop Green
Whatsapp Desktop Green (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Emoji reactions appear to be on the way to WhatsApp.
  • Screenshots of the feature in action were recently shared online.
  • Support for emoji reactions is reportedly on the way to both iOS and Android.

WhatsApp will soon support emoji reactions, according to a recent leak from WABetaInfo. A previously leak from the same outlet showed that emoji reactions were on the way to WhatsApp, but we now have a screenshot of the feature. Emoji reactions are said to be on the way to the iOS and Android versions of WhatsApp in the future. You should be able to sync them over to your PC with WhatsApp Desktop.

The feature looks like you'd expect. With it, people can add any emoji they'd like as a reaction to a message. WABetaInfo states that WhatsApp will support an infinite amount of reactions, but if there are more than 999, people will see "999+" on the message.

WhatsApp is a bit late to the party when it comes to emoji reactions. Many popular messaging services already support the feature, including Twitter, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Skype. Facebook already supports emoji reactions in Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs. Soon, the feature should work within the popular WhatsApp as well.

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Sean Endicott
News Writer

Sean Endicott is a News Writer at Windows Central, where he covers Windows 11, Surface hardware, Microsoft 365, AI, apps, and the broader PC ecosystem. Since joining the site in 2017, he has written well over a thousand articles across the Microsoft landscape, covering breaking news, analysis, and feature reporting.

He writes Windows Wrap, a weekly column covering the biggest stories in Windows and the PC industry, and what they mean for the platform going forward.

Before joining Windows Central full-time, Sean worked in journalism and media production after earning a First Class degree in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University. Outside of tech, he is an award-winning American football coach based in Nottingham, England, and was named BAFCA Youth Coach of the Year in 2024.