WhatsApp for iOS 25.16.81: what's new?

WhatsApp has released a new iOS update through the App Store, bringing the version up to 25.16.81.
What's new in this update? WhatsApp is rolling out a feature to select and copy specific parts of a chat message, and it's available to some users!

In the article about the WhatsApp for iOS 25.12.73 update, we announced that a feature to remove deleted messages from quoted replies was available. This update automatically detects when a message has been deleted for everyone and ensures that any associated quoted replies are also removed from the chat. It applies to both individual and group chats, helping to preserve user privacy across all types of conversations. It seems that WhatsApp is increasingly focusing on new tools designed to improve message management, aiming to enhance overall user convenience. Following the release of the latest WhatsApp for iOS 25.16.81 update, which is available on the App Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is rolling out a feature to select and copy specific parts of a chat message!

As you can see from the attached screenshot, WhatsApp is introducing a new feature that allows users to extract and copy only a certain portion of a message, rather than the entire text. To use this feature, users simply need to tap and hold on the desired message, which will trigger the usual long-press action. As with previous versions, this action brings up the reaction tray and context menu, but the latest update adds an important enhancement. Users can now precisely drag their finger across the message to highlight individual words or select full sentences, enabling partial selection directly within the chat interface. This new functionality significantly improves usability, offering a faster and more intuitive way to copy only the information that matters most.

This new selection method gives users more precision and flexibility. Instead of copying the whole message, users can now highlight only the part they’re interested in. This is particularly useful when a long message contains only one relevant detail that needs to be copied or shared. In previous versions, users had to copy the entire message first. Then, they would paste it into another field, usually the chat bar, just to manually delete the unnecessary parts. This multi-step process was inefficient and time-consuming, especially for those dealing with long messages.

The new partial selection tool removes the need for users to copy an entire message and manually trim it down, eliminating several unnecessary steps from the process. Whether it's a single word, a sentence, or just a portion of a reply, the user is now in control of exactly what to copy. This makes the task of copying information significantly faster, more intuitive, and far less frustrating. It's worth noting that this feature works seamlessly across all types of conversations, including individual chats, group chats, and channels. This makes it a versatile and consistent tool for all users, regardless of the context in which they're sharing messages or updates.

A feature to select and copy specific parts of a chat message is available to some users who install the latest versions of WhatsApp for iOS from the App Store, and it's rolling out to more people over the coming weeks.

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