WhatsApp has rolled out a new feature that allows users to read voice messages as text, enhancing communication convenience. This feature is especially beneficial in noisy environments or when listening isn’t feasible
What Are WhatsApp Voice Message Transcripts & How Do They Work?
When enabled, WhatsApp automatically generates transcripts of voice messages you receive. However, these transcripts are only visible to the recipient, not the sender. This ensures privacy and keeps conversations secure. The transcription happens entirely on your device, maintaining WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption. Neither WhatsApp nor any third party can access your voice messages or their transcripts.
How to Enable or Disable WhatsApp Voice Message Transcripts
By default, the feature is turned off. You can enable it by following these steps:
- Open WhatsApp Settings.
- Tap Chats.
- Toggle Voice Message Transcripts on or off.
- Select a transcript language, choosing from English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian.
- Tap Set up now or Wait for Wi-Fi to complete the setup.
On iOS devices, Siri must be enabled for voice message transcripts to work. Additionally, supported languages vary by OS version. iOS 16+ supports English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Chinese, and Arabic. iOS 17+ adds support for Danish, Finnish, Hebrew, Malay, Norwegian, Dutch, Swedish, and Thai.
How to View and Read WhatsApp Voice Message Transcripts
Once the feature is enabled:
- Tap and hold the voice message.
- Select More options > Transcribe.
- If needed, tap the open/close menu to see more of the transcript.
Ensure your device is running iOS 16 or newer and that Siri is enabled to use this feature seamlessly.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Voice Message Transcripts
If you see a “Transcript unavailable” message, it might be due to:
- A mismatch between the transcript language setting and the language of the voice message.
- Background noise affecting recognition.
- The voice message being in an unsupported language.
- Siri not being enabled on iOS devices.
Since transcripts are generated automatically, some inaccuracies may occur, especially with unclear audio or complex phrases.
Conclusion: Should You Use WhatsApp Voice Message Transcripts?
Voice message transcripts offer a practical way to access information quickly, especially when listening to audio isn’t convenient. While the feature has limitations, it enhances accessibility and improves communication. If you frequently receive voice messages, enabling this feature could save you time and effort!
For more details, visit blog.whatsapp.com