Bye-Bye to Voice Messages: Master the WhatsApp Setting That Transcribes Them for You
- Written by Malte Mansholt
- Time to Read: Approx. 2 mins
Secret WhatsApp Feature: Guidance on Transforming Voice Messages into Text - Transform WhatsApp: Mastering the Art of Transcribing Voice Messages into Text
Love ’em or loathe ’em, everyone knows voice messages - the perfectly convenient yet sometimes disorganized, time-consuming alternative to text messages on WhatsApp. But if you're one of the many who cringe at the thought of listening to a rambling recording, there's some excellent news. WhatsApp has a little-known feature that'll transform those voice messages into text - and it's only a few clicks away.
Although WhatsApp has offered a text-to-voice function since November, very few users are probably aware of it. The reason? By default, it's not enabled at all - it's up to the user to activate it manually.
How to Enable the Transcript Function on WhatsApp: A Step-by-Step Guide
To find this setting, head to WhatsApp > Chat > Transcripts for Voice Messages. To start using the feature, all you have to do is select the language you prefer. Note that, at this moment, this option is only available for English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian on Android devices. The iPhone version offers more languages depending on your device's operating system - so if yours supports iOS 16,you'll have access to roughly a dozen languages such as German, English, or Italian. Sadly, there's no confirmed date for when German support will be available on Android.
In order to display the voice message as text, simply press and hold the message to open a drop-down menu. The "Transcribe" option will then appear. You'll find the newly generated transcript right under the voice message.
Eavesdropping Fears, Lay Them to Rest
Don't worry about WhatsApp listening in: "Transcriptions of voice messages are generated on your device. Your personal voice messages are shielded by end-to-end encryption," WhatsApp boldly states on their official blog post. "Nobody outside the chat, including WhatsApp, can listen to your voice messages, view the transcriptions of your voice messages, or share them." To double-check this claim, go ahead and give the transcription function a go when your device is offline.
WhatsApp uses Siri on the iPhone to process voice messages. It's worth noting that this also means Siri must be active on your device in order for the transcription feature to work, and it's the reason why other apps like Apple's own Messages app can recognize voice messages too. This may very well be one of the factors limiting the language support on Android.
Not Perfect, but Gets the Job Done
While Android users might grumble a bit, even iPhone users should remember that this feature isn't flawless. If the transcript doesn't recognize a word or phrase, it'll show an underscore instead. Sometimes, it may seem like you're reading a fill-in-the-blank exercise from school. According to WhatsApp, this can happen due to background noise or other factors. "It's possible that transcriptions of voice messages may be inaccurate," the messenger states accordingly.
When that happens, simply revert to the old method – and listen to the message.
References:
Enrichment Data:Here are the key methods to enable and use voice message transcription on Android and iPhone, along with information on language support and potential inaccuracies:
On iPhone:- Built-in voicemail transcription for visual voicemail automatically transcribes voicemails and shows them as text. In the Phone app, activate Visual Voicemail through your carrier and its settings. Accuracy can vary due to background noise and other factors.- Call transcription is not available by default in the iPhone OS, but third-party apps like OpenPhone offer transcription after calls.
On Android:- Third-party apps like OpenPhone and services like ScreenApp are required to transcribe voice messages. Android does not have a built-in voicemail or call transcription feature.- For transcription, export the voice message audio file from the respective app and upload it to ScreenApp or a similar AI-based transcription platform. Accuracy can reach up to 99%, but it may degrade with background noise, accents, or low-quality recordings.- For call transcription, OpenPhone on Android, like on iPhone, allows call recording and transcription post-call.- Other apps like Notta are available for transcribing Android voice memos, but this method requires manual uploading and email check.
Language support depends on the transcription service or app used and generally includes major languages. AI transcription accuracy is typically high, but there's still room for errors. Privacy concerns are valid; some transcription services ensure secure handling and immediate file deletion after transcription.
- 'Gadgets' such as the iPhone and 'smartphones' like Android devices host 'technology' that can transcribe WhatsApp voice messages, making it easier for users to understand recorded messages without listening.
- WhatsApp's voice message transcription feature, accessible on iPhone and Android, is facilitated by 'gadgets' like Siri (on iPhone) and third-party apps (like OpenPhone on Android), offering more language support compared to Android's built-in options, but with potential for inaccuracies due to background noise or low-quality recordings.
