### A Minor but Long-Awaited Enhancement in iOS 26 Messages
With the forthcoming launch of iOS 26, Apple is rolling out a long-desired quality-of-life enhancement for Messages: the capability to copy only a portion of a message rather than the whole message bubble. This functionality addresses a considerable restriction that users have experienced up to this point.
#### How It Works Currently
Previously, copying text in iMessage on an iPhone required users to capture the entire message bubble, with no option to highlight or extract a particular section. This limitation often resulted in tedious workarounds. Users would drag the complete message into the compose field to manually select the required text or would take screenshots and employ OCR tools to retrieve the relevant fragment.
With iOS 26, the procedure is about to change. To take advantage of the new feature, users can long-press on a message, then select “Select” from the pop-up menu. This permits highlighting precisely the part of the text they wish to copy. Users can then opt for functions such as Copy, Look up, or Translate. Furthermore, tapping the arrow offers additional choices, including Search the web, Speak, and Share the highlighted segment.
This update brings iMessage in line with other well-known messaging applications like Telegram and WhatsApp, which have already integrated similar functionalities. The ability to copy specific parts of messages is especially beneficial for longer texts that include lists or detailed instructions, allowing users to extract only the information they require.
Apple has declared that the official rollout of iOS 26 is anticipated this fall, with the initial public beta scheduled to launch in July. This small yet significant improvement is certain to enhance the messaging experience for iPhone users.
