How to React to Messages with Emojis on WhatsApp Web
At times and in our fast-paced world of social media an actual response can be enough. A thumbs-up or a smiley face can say exactly what you’re feeling without saying a lot. You get the sense of that value through message reactions; one that has become a staple feature of WhatsApp’s web version. If you’re using the desktop version, which is so called by some users, knowing how to use responses effectively can help make it easier to chat. This tutorial will teach you how to use emoji reactions on the browser as well as in the desktop app.
Why Use Message Reactions?
Before we try and answer the how question let’s talk about the why. Message reactions come in two types: informing you as quickly as possible of a message without creating redundant groups of “OK” or “Thank you” statements; informing you as quickly as possible of agreement with a message without diluting the main point of conversation (by being able to use a simple or an to signal support without giving away the point of discussion), and informing you as quickly as possible of actions you want to take in order to keep any thread you are working on clean and well organized.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Reacting on WhatsApp Web
The process of adding a reaction in the desktop version is pretty straight forward, no matter whether you’re on the browser-based WhatsApp Web version or using the standalone desktop application.
First open your preferred web browser and go to web.whatsapp.com (be sure that your phone is connected to internet and that it’s connected to the desktop session. ) Or open the WhatsApp web desktop app (if you have it installed) and head to the individual or group chat with the message that you wish to respond to.
Now hover the mouse cursor over the message (you can do this by just hovering over the message bubble ) and you will see a small menu icon (three vertical dots) or a smiley face icon (that will appear below the message bubble), click on it. A pop-up menu will emerge immediately that includes the six default emoji reactions: (thumbs up), (red heart), (with tears streaming down her face), (surprised face), (crying face) and (folded hands).
You just type in the emoji you want used, and it will be added to the message right away. A small image of that emoji will then appear under the message bubble where everyone in the chat can see the reaction you’re having to it. Basically, it adds to the speed and ease of doing business with zap web.
How to View and Change Your Reactions
What if you accidentally click the wrong emoji? Hopefully not. That said, you’ll be able to keep track of your reactions easily with the platform. To check who’s reacted to your messages, all you have to do is hover over the emoji below it. A small tooltip will pop up that displays the name of everyone who got involved in the response.
To change your own reaction you simply hover over the message a second time, click the reaction icon (or the three dots) and choose a new emoji. Your old reaction will be automatically replaced by this new emoji. This is at the heart of what makes it so easy to use WhatsApp web. You can correct an accidental clicking or mute yourself in an instant as the conversation goes on.
Beyond the Basics: The Secret Emoji Menu
The default six emojis aren’t the only ones you can use. WhatsApp web also allows you to select whatever you like from the list of emojis for your reactions. To get to that expanded menu, hover over a message and click the reaction icon. As opposed to just selecting one of the six emojis, you’ll see a small emoji symbol () at the end of the row or a + button.
To open the emoji picker in its entirety, click here. Here you can sort through hundreds of different categories from smiling and animals to food and flags until you find the best reaction for whatever situation you find yourself in. So you will never again have to settle for a reaction that is “good enough” again.
Enhancing Your Communication on WhatsApp Web
Understanding message reactions is one of the little yet powerful ways you can get more done and say more on WhatsApp web. Reactions are the bridge between the quick and simple like and the complex meaning of the full message. By using the reacting capability you can make your conversations on Zap Web more dynamic, less cluttered and, ultimately, more interesting. So the next time you’re on the desktop version, try reacting with an emoji—it might just say everything you need it to.
