A voice message lets you talk instead of type. Press and hold the microphone button, speak, and let go to send. It is a great choice if typing is hard for you.
Record and send (Android and iPhone)
- Open the chat. Make sure the text box is empty: the microphone 🎤 button then shows at the bottom right.
- Press and hold the microphone and speak.
- Lift your finger to send.
- Changed your mind while holding? Slide your finger to the left (towards "Slide to cancel") and let go. Nothing is sent.
Long message, hands-free
- Press and hold the microphone, then slide your finger up to the lock 🔒.
- Now you can let go and keep talking.
- Tap the pause or stop button to listen to it before sending, then tap Send, or the bin to delete it.
Play a voice message
- Tap the play ▶ button. Hold the phone to your ear to hear it through the earpiece instead of the loudspeaker.
- Tap 1x next to the message to switch to 1.5x or 2x speed.
- Drag the dot along the line to skip forward or back.
- A blue microphone means the other person has played your voice message.
Read instead of listen (transcripts)
In some languages WhatsApp can show a voice message as text. Turn it on in Settings › Chats › Voice message transcripts, choose the language, then press and hold a voice message and tap Transcribe. Not every phone, country or language has this yet, so don't worry if you can't see it.
If it doesn't work
- "Allow microphone" message: give WhatsApp microphone permission. Android: phone Settings › Apps › WhatsApp › Permissions › Microphone › Allow. iPhone: phone Settings › WhatsApp › turn on Microphone.
- Recording stops at once: you are tapping, not holding. Keep your finger pressed while talking.
- No sound when playing: turn up the media volume, take the phone away from your ear, and check Bluetooth earphones are not connected.
- Won't download: check internet and phone storage.
Safety tip
Voices can be faked with AI. If a voice message from a "relative" urgently asks for money, call them back on their usual number before you pay anything.
This is GroupChatOn’s own easy guide. We are not WhatsApp and are not linked with WhatsApp or Meta. WhatsApp sometimes changes its menus: if a button looks different on your phone, update WhatsApp from the Play Store or App Store.
Still stuck?
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Questions, or an error not listed here?
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