WhatsApp for iPhone Now Lets You Copy Part of a Message, No iOS 26 Needed

Highlights

• WhatsApp for iPhone now allows users to copy specific parts of a message, similar to an upcoming iOS 26 Messages feature.
• How It Works – Long-press a message, then press and hold the text to see selection handles. Drag to highlight the part you need, then tap Copy.
• WhatsApp has also launched an iPad version, started testing usernames and confirmed ads in Status & Channels for monetisation recently.

Caption – WhatsApp’s new feature allows you to copy just part of a message. (Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash)

It was just recently revealed that an update is coming to Messages in iOS 26 that will finally allow users to copy just part of a message, instead of the entire thing. Yes, copying text in iMessage on iPhone requires users to grab the entire message bubble in the current system. So, if you got excited about this upcoming iOS 26’s feature, but you’re not using the beta, WhatsApp has you covered.

With version 25.16.81, WhatsApp for iPhone already lets you highlight and copy just a portion of a message. So, if you only need a specific bit of text from a long message, you can now grab exactly what you want.

Here’s how it works – just long-press the message bubble, then press and hold again on the text. You’ll see the familiar iOS text selection handles pop up. Drag to highlight the part you need, then tap Copy. That’s it.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because Apple only just announced a similar feature for Messages in iOS 26. While Apple’s version is still in beta, WhatsApp users can already use it now.

This new feature is part of a bigger update wave from WhatsApp. Earlier this month, the app also rolled out its long-awaited iPad version and started testing support for usernames. Meta has also confirmed it will begin showing ads in the Status and Channels tabs, part of a wider effort to refresh the app and increase monetisation.

If you don’t see the partial text copy option yet, head to the App Store and make sure your WhatsApp is updated.

Meanwhile, the Apple iOS 26 update release with this feature is reportedly coming this fall with the first public beta set for July.

FAQs

Q1. What new feature allows users to copy only part of a message in WhatsApp?

Answer. WhatsApp for iPhone now lets users highlight and copy specific parts of a message, instead of the entire bubble, similar to an upcoming iOS 26 Messages feature.

Q2. How can users copy partial text from a message in WhatsApp?

Answer. Long-press the message bubble, then press and hold the text again to reveal iOS selection handles. Drag to highlight the portion you need, then tap Copy.

Q3. What other updates has WhatsApp introduced recently?

Answer. WhatsApp has launched its iPad version, started testing usernames, and confirmed that ads will appear in the Status and Channels tabs for monetisation.

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