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If you’ve ever used Twitter, you’ve probably included a typo in a tweet. If your proofreading skills are polished, you probably caught the typo before you hit the Tweet button.
But if you use Twitter, you might have published a tweet with an embarrassing typo. It happens.
If only Twitter had an edit button…
Why a Twitter Edit Button Is a Good Thing
Unlike Facebook, Twitter doesn’t let you edit your posts. And unlike most Facebook accounts, most Twitter accounts post tweets for the world to see, magnifying the potential for embarrassment.
With an edit button, you could correct any typos while preserving a tweet’s Likes, Replies, and Retweets. But without an edit button, your choices upon discovering a typo in your posted tweet are to:
- delete the tweet
- ignore the typo or
- add a reply that apologizes for the typo.
- Twitter Announces an Edit Button
These factors have contributed to many people clamoring for an edit button on Twitter. In fact, the most requested feature for Twitter is an edit button.
The Twitter Edit Button Announcement
Last week, Twitter announced it’s testing an edit button:
if you see an edited Tweet it’s because we’re testing the edit button
this is happening and you’ll be okay
— Twitter (@Twitter) September 1, 2022
Twitter will initially be testing the edit button internally. Next, Twitter will test the edit button with Twitter Blue users whose subscription includes testing new Twitter features.
Learn about Twitter Blue at => Twitter Blue — Is It Best for You?
According to Twitter, later this month Twitter Blue subscribers will “receive early access to features and help us test them before they come to Twitter. The test will be localized to a single country at first and expand as we learn and observe how people use Edit Tweet. We’ll also be paying close attention to how the feature impacts the way people read, write, and engage with Tweets.”
Twitter has not yet announced which country will get the first access to the edit button for Twitter Blue subscribers. The company also has not yet announced when (or if) the edit button will be available for all Twitter accounts.
Currently, Twitter Blue subscribers have access to an Undo feature. With Undo, Twitter Blue subscribers can have up to 60 seconds to review and change their tweets before those tweets are published. But with the edit button, tweets can be changed (within limits) after they are published.
How the Twitter Edit Button Will Work
Twitter is being cautious in releasing the edit button. After all, the addition of a single word, such as “not” could change the entire meaning of a tweet. Likes and replies could be in response to a very different message than the edited tweet conveys.
So Twitter is adding safeguards to the edit button. During this test period, users will be permitted a limited number of edits for the first 30 minutes after a tweet is posted.
Edited tweets will have labels and icons showing they have been edited, as well as the time and date of the edit.
Click the time stamp below the tweet to see a history of the edits, including prior versions of the edited tweets. Twitter explains, “For context, the time limit and version history play an important role here. They help protect the integrity of the conversation and create a publicly accessible record of what was said.”
Because Twitter’s edit button is in the testing phase, the limits on the edit button may be different when/if it’s made available to all Twitter accounts. Stay tuned to The Wonder of Tech for further information about the Twitter button and other exciting tech news!
Your Thoughts
Have you been hoping for a Twitter edit button? Have you ever posted a tweet with an embarrassing typo? Do you think Twitter’s safeguards will help protect the integrity of the conversation?
Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!
