WhatsApp introduces new feature to read voice messages like texts

WhatsApp announced on Thursday the launch of a new feature that will transcribe voice messages into text.

This update, which will be rolled out globally in the coming weeks, aims to make it easier to keep up with conversations when you're unable to listen to voice messages, such as in noisy environments or when you're on the go.

Similar to a feature introduced in Apple's iOS 17 for its Messages app, WhatsApp's voice message transcripts will be generated directly on the user's device, ensuring that the content remains private and secure, with no third-party access, including WhatsApp itself.

To enable the feature, users need to navigate to Settings > Chats > Voice Message Transcripts and activate it.

Once turned on, users can transcribe any voice message by long-pressing on the message and tapping the “transcribe” option.

It is important to note that the transcription will not occur automatically for every voice message but needs to be manually initiated.

Photo: WhatsApp Official

The feature is initially available in a limited set of languages, with support for English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian on Android, and a wider selection of languages on iOS 16+ and iOS 17+, including German, French, Chinese, Arabic, and many others. WhatsApp plans to expand language support over the coming months, ensuring a broader audience can benefit from the feature.

The introduction of voice message transcripts is a response to the growing demand for ways to stay connected, even when it’s inconvenient to listen to audio messages.

WhatsApp's move is expected to enhance the user experience, particularly in environments where listening to messages is not feasible.