Android users can now edit texts they’ve already sent to iPhones — a long-requested feature — but it doesn’t work exactly the same on both sides.

Thanks to a new update in messaging technology called Universal Profile 3.0, Android phones using Google Messages are beginning to support message editing, even in conversations with iPhone users.

If you send a message from your Android device and catch a typo or want to reword something, you can now press and hold the message, tap the pencil icon, and make your changes, as long as it’s within 15 minutes of sending.

But there’s a catch.

While the message updates cleanly on Android, iPhone users will see the change as a new message, typically starting with an asterisk (*) to signal it’s an edit. The original message still shows up for them and isn’t replaced.

What Changed?

This new capability is part of Universal Profile 3.0, a major upgrade to RCS, or Rich Communication Services—the next-generation texting format designed to replace SMS.

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RCS offers features like:

  • Read receipts
  • Typing indicators
  • High-quality photo sharing

Until recently, message editing only worked within the same platform:

  • iPhone to iPhone via iMessage
  • Android to Android via RCS

Cross-platform editing — from Android to iPhone — is now rolling out.

What Still Doesn’t Work?

  • Phone users still can’t edit RCS messages sent to Androids

  • On iPhones, edited Android texts appear as new messages

  • The feature is in limited beta testing, so not everyone has access yet

Only a small group of Android beta testers can currently use the feature. A broader rollout is expected later.

There’s also no word yet on when Apple might update its Messages app to fully support cross-platform edits.

Why It Matters?

Texting between Android and iPhone users has been complicated for years due to the incompatibility of Apple’s iMessage and Android’s RCS or SMS systems.

This new feature is a step toward more seamless communication across platforms, although it’s still a bit clunky for now.

Bottom line: Android users can now edit messages sent to iPhones, but iPhone users will see them as brand-new messages. The feature is rolling out gradually and may require further adjustments from Apple to ensure full support.