WhatsApp will allow users to choose emojis for reactions

If the emoji you are looking for is never in the right place, WhatsApp is apparently working on a solution. The latest beta version of the messaging app for iOS includes references to a new option that will allow users to choose for themselves which emojis will appear by default in the message reaction menu.

Currently, a long press on a message in WhatsApp opens a reaction bar that starts with six fixed emojis: thumbs up, red heart, face with tears of joy, surprised face, crying face, and folded hands. These are followed by emojis that the user has used recently or frequently, and the bar can be scrolled sideways. Those who do not find the appropriate reaction there can click the plus button and choose another emoji.

According to WABetaInfo, in the latest TestFlight version of WhatsApp, references were found to a new setting called "Default reactions," which will allow changing these six fixed emojis. Users will be able to replace any of them with another emoji from the keyboard, change as many as they want, and also restore the reaction bar to its original composition at any stage.

"Instead of WhatsApp deciding for you which reactions you need for quick access, you will be able to assemble a set that better suits the way you actually respond to conversations," experts suggest.

However, the feature is not yet active even for beta users, so at this stage, it is an option that is under development. According to the findings, it is also possible that the option will be exclusive to WhatsApp Plus subscribers.

This is not the first time that signs of the feature have appeared. Similar references were found in the past in the WhatsApp beta version for Android. The fact that it now appears in iOS as well may indicate that the company is moving towards the actual testing phase — first among beta users, and later, if everything goes as planned, to the general public.