Twitter s edit button isn t going to be what any of us really wanted TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Twitter s edit button isn t going to be what any of us really wanted By Hamish Hector published 4 August 2022 Maybe we didn't want to edit tweets after all (Image credit: Twitter) Being able to edit a tweet after it's been posted is one of Twitter's most requested features. Currently, if you spot a spelling mistake or an incorrectly uploaded photo in your tweet after it goes live you have to pull the whole thing down and start over again – you can't just go in and make the minor fix. For years instead of giving users the one feature they most desperately wanted, Twitter gave us updates like unwanted timeline changes and pointless in-app podcast services. But finally, back in April 2022, Twitter revealed that it was working on an edit button, and fans were delighted. However, since the announcement, it has become more and more clear why the feature was on the back burner for so long, and we're now starting to wonder if the whole thing should be scrapped. Tweet editing needs an edit Twitter is more than a social media platform at this point. It's not just a place where people share funny quips or rant about their issues, it's also a space for businesses, celebrities, and politicians to make statements, address recent controversies or engage with members of the public. Because of this, tweets can be just as newsworthy as traditional conferences and press releases. So, one major reason that sparked pushback against the edit button is it could become a tool to rewrite history. While you and I may just want to simply fix our spelling and grammar, it has the potential to be abused by people looking to completely change the meaning of a post after the fact. Making a permanent change could make it hard to accurately follow what has been said and also be able to hold people accountable for any content they share with their followers. Thankfully, Twitter thought ahead and current designs for the edit function indicate that the app will keep a record of previous versions of the post. Most recently, it was discovered by Jane Manchun Wong that embedded tweets will default to the original post, with a reminder appearing on the bottom alerting readers that a new version of the post is available. Embedded Tweets will show whether it's been edited, or whether there's a new version of the TweetWhen a site embeds a Tweet and it gets edited, the embed doesn't just show the new version (replacing the old one). Instead, it shows an indicator there's a new version pic.twitter.com/mAz5tOiyOlAugust 1, 2022See more This is all excellent news for reporters and media outlets (us included) who may want to include tweets in their coverage without worrying about the facts seemingly being changed after the story goes live. However, for regular users, it doesn't solve the core issue that editing was meant to fix. Given how easy it will be to see that a tweet has been changed and to find out what was previously posted, it's less likely to help you avoid embarrassment but make it easier than ever to spot your mistakes. Even after editing is introduced to Twitter, your best solution to hide a mistake will still be to take down the post and try again. It'll likely be a while longer before tweet editing is officially released so there's a chance that Twitter will find a better way to ensure it lives up to what fans want while also not helping to spread misinformation. But as it stands right now, Twitter's edit button is looking like it was an idea that was much better on paper than it is in practice. Hamish HectorHamish is a Staff Writer for TechRadar (@Hamish_Hector (opens in new tab) on Twitter) and has been writing about tech for almost five years. He now lends his experience to cover news and reviews across everything on TechRadar (from Computing to Audio to Gaming and the rest). In his free time, you'll likely find Hamish humming show tunes while building Lego or playing D&D with his mates. TechRadar Newsletter Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1The iPhone 14 Pro is made of the wrong stuff; the Pixel 7 proves that to me2Stop saying Mario doesn't have an accent in The Super Mario Bros. 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