On Thursday, WhatsApp unveiled a new feature designed to enhance the convenience of sharing voice messages. This latest addition provides voice message transcripts for users on both Android and iOS devices, allowing individuals to read a text-based version of received voice messages. This feature is especially beneficial for users who are on the go or in noisy environments. The announcement follows WhatsApp’s recent introduction of a drafts label for unread messages and a new home screen widget for its iOS app.
WhatsApp Voice Message Transcripts
In a blog post, WhatsApp explained that the transcripts are generated on-device, ensuring that the content remains private and is not accessible to anyone else. The platform reiterated that voice messages continue to be secure through end-to-end encryption.
Users must enable this feature prior to use. Once activated, a transcript will automatically appear below the voice message in the chosen language. According to the company, only the recipient will have access to the transcript, while the sender remains unaware of its content.
Currently, transcript support is available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian for Android users. Conversely, the iOS version extends support to a wider array of languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Thai, Turkish, and Swedish.
To utilize this feature, users should follow these steps:
- Navigate to WhatsApp Settings > Chats.
- Enable or disable Voice Message Transcripts and select a preferred language.
- Press and hold on a voice message, then select Transcribe.
- Click the expand icon on the voice message to display additional text from the transcription.
WhatsApp noted that it may take a short period for the transcript to generate. If users encounter a “Transcript unavailable” message, it could be due to various factors such as unsupported language, unrecognizable words, background noise, or a language barrier with the voice message. The company also cautioned that there might be inaccuracies in the voice message transcripts.
