WhatsApp will finally let you react with the emoji you actually want, but there’s a catch

Emoji reactions are one of the best features of WhatsApp. They let you quickly respond to a message with a simple long-press and tap, and they come in really handy when you are in a hurry or don’t need a word salad to respond. 

However, one issue WhatsApp users have always dealt with is that the emoji tray was not customizable, so you were stuck with the emojis WhatsApp offered. But that might be about to change with a future update. 

When did WhatsApp start working on this?

WhatsApp started testing a custom reaction tray on Android last month, and that work is still ongoing. Now, according to WABetaInfo, the same feature has appeared in the WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.32.10.16 on TestFlight. So iPhone users won’t have to wait too long to get in on this.

Right now, your reaction tray is stuck with Thumbs Up, Red Heart, Face with Tears of Joy, Surprised Face, Crying Face, and Folded Hands (👍, ❤️, 😂, 😮, 😢, and 🙏). These are followed by your most used emojis. Then you get a plus (+) button that you can use to access others. 

However, quick reactions mean exactly that: a way to quickly respond to a message, so the ability to customize the default emojis will be a great additions. 

How will the new reaction tray work?

Once this rolls out, you will be able to head into the app settings and swap out any of the six default emojis for ones you actually use. WABetaInfo shared a screenshot showing the default set next to a fully personalized version. You can change as many emojis as you want, and if you get tired of your new picks, restoring the original set is just as easy.

What’s the catch?

As much as I love this feature, I am sad that not everyone will be able to enjoy it. The feature is part of the second wave of WhatsApp Plus updates, joining themes, custom icons, premium stickers, and the ability to pin up to 20 chats. That means that unless you are paying for it, you won’t get to use this feature, which is a bummer.