WhatsApp iOS Update: You Can Now Copy Specific Chat Chunks

For iPhone owners, WhatsApp has included a much wanted tool. This technique involves copying specific parts of a communication rather than its entire text. This feature, added in the most recent iOS update (version 25.16.81), enhances user control and simplifies information exchange in chats.

How to Use the New Feature in WhatsApp iOS

To use this new option:

• Update WhatsApp: First, make sure you’re running the latest version of the app from the App Store.

• Open a Chat: Go to any individual, group, or channel conversation.

• Long-Press a Message: Tap and hold the message that contains the part you want to copy.

• Select Specific Text: Once the reaction tray appears, highlight the exact words or phrases by dragging your finger.

• Copy the Text: Tap “Copy” to save only the selected portion to your clipboard.

This saves users from copying and pasting entire messages only to trim down the content later. It’s particularly useful when referencing long paragraphs where just a date, name, or detail is needed.

Additional Features for WhatsApp iOS Users

Apart from partial text selection, WhatsApp has added an iOS ‘text detection’ tool. This lets users copy text from images on the app. When viewing a photo with visible text, viewers will see a new option to copy the embedded material. This tool is compatible with iPhones running iOS 16 or later.

iOS has always gotten a somewhat preferential treatment from WhatsApp. For example, iOS users can pinch to zoom in video calls and add a recipient to an ongoing call directly from the chat thread. For something as simple as copying parts of a text not in iOS WhatsApp was puzzling for hardcore Apple fans.

Future Developments

As of now, these updates are exclusive to iOS. However, sources suggest that Android users might soon receive similar capabilities. WhatsApp appears focused on unifying the user experience across platforms, continually adding features that make communication more efficient.