WhatsApp has finally started releasing the emoji reaction feature after spending several months in the development phase. As the name suggests, this feature allows users to react to messages received in the form of emojis.

This feature is starting to roll out for a handful of beta testers on Android. WABetaInfo reports that the emoji reaction feature has appeared in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.22.8.3.

WhatsApp seems to be releasing this feature gradually because not all beta testers on Android get this feature in the first place. Based on our observations, there are some beta testers who have even downloaded WhatsApp for Android version 2.22.8.4 but still haven’t received the emoji reaction feature.

The way the reaction emoji feature in WhatsApp works is still unchanged from what was first reported a few months ago. When you tap and hold on a received message, there will be a pop-up section containing six emojis.

Users can choose one of the six available emojis to react to incoming messages. The six emojis are thumbs up, heart, crying, laughing, surprised face, and high five/thank you/sorry emojis.

Apart from Android, WhatsApp will also bring the emoji reaction feature to the iOS and desktop apps. In early January, the WhatsApp beta for iOS had a settings toggle to set ‘Reaction Notification’, and a similar setting appeared in the WhatsApp Desktop beta this month.

Emoji reactions are one of the most common features found in messaging apps, including iMessage, Google Messages, and Twitter. Facebook Messenger and Instagram even have this feature before WhatsApp.