How do voice messages work on iphone

This guide explains how to send voice messages in iOS 16.

After rumours, speculation, and a closed beta, iOS 16 has arrived. iPhone users can now get their hands on the latest version of Apple’s iOS operating system.

iOS 16 brings with it a plethora of new features designed to enhance the iPhone user experience. From the revamped lock screen to the streamlined Focus tool, iOS 16 moves Apple’s mobile operating system forward in many ways.

However, with any big update comes a learning curve. Even the most seasoned of iPhone users will find themselves asking questions about how certain things work in iOS 16.

As always, Apple has done a fairly good job of explaining what you need to know when you go into apps or new settings for the first time. But if you don’t even know where to start, you might find yourself feeling a bit lost.

At one point or another, we’ve all wasted time scrolling through settings trying to activate a new feature that we’ve read about.

How do voice messages work on iphone

One interesting update in iOS 16 is to the way voice messages work. As a result, many iPhone users are asking how to send voice messages after the new update

Voice messages are an increasingly popular way of sending messages using iMessage. They can save you serious time when you’re wanting to say something that’s awkward or long-winded to type.

Thankfully, Apple haven’t removed voice messages altogether and it is still possible to send them.

So, let’s go over how to send voice messages in iOS 16 on iPhone…

How To Send Voice Messages iOS 16

The way you send voice messages has changed in iOS 16. However, it’s still easy and straight forward.

Previously, iPhone users had to hold the microphone icon next to the text field to start recording. That icon now starts dictation which has confused some users.

The step to start recording is now a little different, and there’s a couple of options for starting and stopping recordings, too.

This is how to send voice messages in iOS 16:

To start recording a voice message in iOS 16, select the voice note icon in the app tray above the keyboard.

How do voice messages work on iphone
The voice note icon circled in red.

The keyboard will now be replaced with the voice recorder interface.

Here, you have a couple of options for how to record your voice message.

How do voice messages work on iphone

The first option is to tap the record button, record your message, and press stop when you are finished. This option is better suited for longer voice messages.

How do voice messages work on iphone

The other option is better suited to shorter voice notes. Simply hold the record button, record your message, and release it when you are finished.

How do voice messages work on iphone

And there you have it – now you know how to send voice messages in iOS 16 on iPhone.

Did you find this iOS 16 guide useful? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other Tech articles…

You can send audio clips instead of typing out a message or using speak-to-text on the iPhone.

By Abbey Dufoe Updated 01/25/2021

* This post is part of iPhone Life's Tip of the Day newsletter. Sign Up. *

Within the Messages app, you can send and receive audio messages with other iPhone users. Sending and receiving audio messages is a fun way communicate with your voice without being on the phone, and without using the talk-to-text iPhone feature. Here’s how to send and receive audio text messages.

Jump to:

  • How to Send an Audio Message on the iPhone
  • How to Listen to a Received Audio Message on the iPhone

How To Send a Voice Message on the iPhone in the Messages App

The audio messages you send will disappear after a set amount of time unless the recipient taps Keep. To send an audio text message from your iPhone:

  1. Open the Messages app and start or continue a conversation thread.Open the messages app and start or continue a conversation
     
  2. Press and hold the audio icon on the right side of the text box to record. The icon looks like a collection of lines.Press and hold the audio icon the whole time you're recording an audio message
     
  3. Speak your message while still holding the icon.
  4. Lift your finger to end recording. 
  5. To hear your recorded message before you send it, tap the playback arrow.Tap the Play button to hear your recording before sending it
     
  6. To delete the recording, tap the X icon.Tap the gray X to delete the recording so you can try again
     
  7. To send the message, tap the send arrow.Tap the up arrow to send the audio message on iPhone

Related: How to Use Effects in Messages

How To Listen to an Audio Message You Received on Your iPhone

Once you've opened a message that contains an audio recording, follow the steps below to access the voice message on your iPhone.

  1. Tap the play button on the recording.Tap the Play button to play a received message
     
  2. You can tap Keep to save a recording you've sent or received.Tap Keep to keep the message instead
of allowing it to delete automatically after 2 minutes
     
  3. If you do not opt to keep a message, it will automatically delete after two minutes.

With these steps, you can now easily navigate sending and receiving audio or voice messages in the Messages app on your iPhone.

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Author Details

Abbey Dufoe's picture

Abbey Dufoe is a freelance writer and a web producer at a nonprofit based in Princeton, NJ. She's always itching for the newest iOS gadget (current favorite - the Apple Watch). She tweets and blogs about the earth and the Internet on Twitter at @abbeydufoe and at abbeydufoe.com.

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Where are voice messages kept on iPhone?

Where do saved messages go on my iPhone? All saved messages are stored on iOS 12 and later in the Messages app. But, if you're running a version of iOS earlier than version 12, they will be stored in the Voice Memos app.

Does a voice text disappear if not opened?

Your friend will have it in their message thread until they listen to it, and then the phone will either remove it after 2 minutes or keep it, depending on what their setting is. So to be clear: what you see in your message thread isn't in any way linked to what your friend sees in theirs.