WhatsApp is readying a new update for the world’s most popular chat app that will literally change the way billions of people interact with conversations. Android and iOS users will soon be able to react to conversations with emojis, similar to their counterparts on iMessage and Facebook Messenger. An upcoming WhatsApp update will allow users to react to a chat with a range of emojis, such as a thumbs up, heart, laughing face, crying face, shocked face and a praying emoji.

The leading chat app has been working on this feature for quite some time, with evidence that this in-development feature first appeared last summer.

And now WABetaInfo’s super WhatsApp sleuths have discovered that the reactions feature is rolling out in an imminent beta, ahead of a full launch for iOS and Android that could happen soon.

WABetaInfo added that – as with chats – emoji reactions will be protected with end-to-end encryption.

The WhatsApp news portal recently posted, “WhatsApp is readying message reactions (secured with end-to-end encryption) in a new upcoming update to the WhatsApp beta for Android and iOS.”

When a user reacts to a chat with an emoji, a small icon showing the emoji in question will appear in the lower right corner of the chat bubble.

For WhatsApp fans, this incoming update will add one of the few missing chat app resume elements that Facebook Messenger and iMessage users have long enjoyed.

WhatsApp’s approach to emoji reactions will be more like how iMessage approaches this tool than Messenger’s reactions.

At first glance, WhatsApp users will only be able to choose from a certain number of emojis – which is identical to iMessage.

Facebook Messenger‘s reaction bar also offers a selection of emojis that are immediately presented to users when they react to a message.

However, unlike iMessage, there is also a plus button which allows users to choose from the entire suite of emojis available on the platform.

It remains to be seen if WhatsApp will add the ability to choose any emoji for a reaction in time for the general release of the feature, or if they will limit users to the six emojis shown in the leaked images revealed by WABetaInfo.

The release date for this highly anticipated new WhatsApp feature has yet to be announced. But it seems to be in the final stages of testing, so hopefully it won’t be too long before it’s available on the stable channel.