Everything You Need to Know About WhatsApp Message Reactions
Before the introduction of WhatsApp message reactions, users would have to send an emoji to react to a message, which would appear as a separate message in the chat. This could lead to unnecessary clutter. To address this issue, WhatsApp has introduced message reactions. In this article, we will answer all your questions about WhatsApp message reactions.
What Are Message Reactions?
Message reactions allow users to respond to a WhatsApp message with an emoji. These reactions appear with the message itself, eliminating the need for separate messages. They provide a quick and clutter-free way to express emotions and respond to messages.
Which Emoji Reactions Does WhatsApp Offer?
WhatsApp currently offers six emoji reactions for users to choose from. These include thumbs up, red heart, laughing emoji (face with tears of joy), surprised emoji (face with mouth open), sad emoji (crying face), and thank you emoji (folded hands).
Can You Add Custom Reactions?
At the moment, WhatsApp only offers the six aforementioned emojis as reactions. However, Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, has promised to include more emojis in the future.
Do Message Reactions Work in Group Chats?
Yes, you can react to messages in both individual and group chats. In group chats, all members can add emoji reactions to a message.
Can You React to Messages in Restricted Groups?
Yes, you can add emoji reactions in restricted groups as well.
Does WhatsApp Business Support Emoji Reactions?
Yes, both WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business allow users to react with emojis.
How Many Reactions Can You Add Per Message?
You can only add one reaction per message. If you want to add a different reaction, you will have to remove your existing one.
How to React to WhatsApp Messages
To react to a WhatsApp message, follow these steps:
- Launch the WhatsApp app and open the chat where you want to react to a message.
- Touch and hold the message. A pop-up will appear with the available emojis.
- Select the emoji that you want to react with. It will appear below the message.
Who Will Receive Reaction Notifications?
Only the sender of the message will receive a WhatsApp notification about the reactions. Other members in the group chat can see the reactions but will not receive a notification.
How to Change a Message Reaction
If you accidentally reacted with the wrong emoji, you can easily change the reaction without removing it. Simply long press the message to open the emoji panel and tap on a different emoji to replace the existing reaction.
Will the Receiver Be Notified When You Change a Reaction?
The receiver will receive a general notification that you reacted to a message. However, the notification does not mention that you changed the reaction. If they had already seen your previous reaction, they might guess that you changed it.
How to Remove a Reaction
To remove your reaction from a message, you can follow either of these methods:
Method 1
- Tap on the emoji reaction below the message to see the message reactions next to the sender's names.
- Press the option that says “You- Tap to remove” to remove your reaction.
Method 2
- Long press on the message you reacted to. The emoji panel will appear.
- Tap on the emoji that you had reacted with earlier to remove it.
Can You React to Multiple Messages?
No, you can only react to one message at a time. If you select multiple messages, the emoji reaction panel will not appear.
Who Can See Message Reactions?
In personal chats, both the sender and the receiver can see reactions to a message. Similarly, all members can view the reactions to any message in group chats.
How to View All WhatsApp Message Reactions
To view all the reactions to a message, tap on the reaction emojis below the message. You will see all the reactions received from various users next to their names. You can also see the reactions organized by emoji. Tap on an emoji to see the contacts that reacted with that emoji.
Can You React to Sent Messages?
Surprisingly, you can react to your own sent messages as well.
What Happens to Reactions to Disappearing Messages?
Reactions to disappearing messages will also vanish when the message disappears.
Can You Disable Reactions?
No, you cannot turn off WhatsApp message reactions.
Can You Hide Reaction Count?
No, you cannot disable the reaction count from showing up on WhatsApp messages. However, you can turn off reaction notifications.
How to Turn off WhatsApp Message Reaction Notifications
If you don't want to be notified about reactions to your messages, you can turn off the reaction notifications. Here's how:
Turn off Reaction Notifications on Android
- Launch WhatsApp on your Android phone.
- Tap on the three-dot icon at the top and go to Settings.
- Go to Notifications and turn off the toggles next to Reaction notifications for Messages (personal chats) and Groups.
Turn off Reaction Notifications on iOS
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
- Tap on the Settings tab at the bottom and go to Notifications.
- Turn off the toggles for Reaction notifications under Message notifications and Group notifications.
How to Fix WhatsApp Message Reactions Not Working
If you are unable to react to WhatsApp messages, you need to update the app to the latest version. Download the latest version from the Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone) and restart your phone. Reactions are available on the stable version of WhatsApp, so you don't need to be on a beta version.
Express Your Emotions
WhatsApp message reactions provide users with another way to express their emotions. In addition to reactions, you can also explore sending stickers on WhatsApp and check out the best sticker apps for WhatsApp. If you're curious about the meaning of various icons and symbols in WhatsApp, we have a guide for that too.

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