Are you wondering how to send a voice message on iPhone? If yes, you have come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll share different methods with detailed step-by-step guidelines enabling you to send or even manage your iPhone’s voice messages. We’ll also compare the voice message with the voice dictation or audio call for clarification. Keep reading!
What is a voice message on an iPhone?
“A voice message on an iPhone is an audio recording that help users deliver their message instead of typing long text.”
It’s worth noting that Apple introduced this feature to the Messages app for the first time on iOS 8 in 2014. Over time, Apple improved this feature by making the audio clips more clearer and even allowing users to preview the message before sending. Let’s have a look at some of the benefits of using voice messaging which make it preferable over typing text.
Benefits of voice Messages on iPhone
- Faster and More Convenient Communication: First of all recording voice messages saves your precious time, letting you quickly speak your message. It’s especially helpful when you’re busy, in a hurry or even have complex thoughts which are difficult to type.
- Clear Tone and Emotion: While typing text delivers the message it usually lacks the emotions that may raise misunderstandings. On the other hand voice message indeed lets the listener hear your tone and emotions. Thereby making your message feel more personal and expressive.
- Hands-Free and Multitasking Friendly: Similarly, it also gives you a hands-free experience which really helps a lot, especially when you’re driving or even walking.
- Helpful for Kids and Illiterate Users: On top of that, this messaging feature indeed helps people who find difficulty in reading or writing. Thereby making younger kids or illiterate persons to clearly communicate and express themselves online.
How to send a voice message on iPhone using iMessage?
Now, if you’re wondering how to send a voice message on iPhone via iMessage, you don’t worry. The process is very simple and straightforward, you just need to follow the guidelines mentioned below.
Would you know if they reply?
- Step 1. Open the iMessages app on your iPhone.
- Step 2. Now you can begin a new iMessage conversation by tapping the pen/paper icon in the upper right-hand corner. Otherwise, you can open an existing iMessage conversation.
- Step 3. Here simply press and hold the record button. It usually looks like a sound wave to the right of the iMessage text box and begins recording the voice message.
- Step 4. When you’re done release the record button. You will then see two icons next to the message; a play button and an upward-facing arrow.
- Step 5. You can press the play button to listen to what you’ve recorded. However, tap the upward-facing arrow to send your voice message. That’s all!
How to send a voice message on iPhone in a text message?
Besides iMessage you can also send a voice message on iPhone via SMS/MMS. Although the traditional SMS doesn’t support voice message, howevre when iMessage isn’t available, iPhones send audio as MMS.
Differences between iMessage and SMS
It’s important to note that iMessage works over the Internet only when both you and the recipient have Apple devices with iMessage enabled. SMS on the other hand, uses your mobile network. Here is a quick glance of differences!
| iMessage | SMS / MMS | |
| Network | Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data) | Mobile carrier network |
| Voice Message | Yes/high-quality audio | No/sent as MMS only |
| Device Compatibility | Apple devices only | All phones (iPhone & Android) |
| Features | Read receipts, typing indicators/encryption | Text only/limited media support |
Why voice messages sometimes can’t be sent?
Sometimes you can’t send voice messages via MMS, there is no need to worry at all. This may happen for several reasons. Like MMS may get disabled on your iPhone, your carrier doesn’t support MMS properly or the audio file is too large. Similarly, poor network coverage or incorrect message settings can also prevent voice messages from sending successfully.
How to send a voice message on an iPhone hands-free？
Additionally, iPhone also offers several hands-free features to let you send a voice message. Let’s have a look at how you can do this!
Using Siri
Siri is basically Apple’s AI-powered virtual assistant that uses voice commands to search the Internet, make a call, set a reminder and much more. You can send the voice message without touching the screen, you simply uou have to say
- “Hey Siri, send a message to [contact name]”
- Then speak your message and Siri will confirm before sending.
Voice control
Voice control is an iPhone’s built-in accessibility feature that let you operate your device simply by voice command. You can enable this feature by following the steps below!
- Step 1. Access the settings app on your iPhone and here go to Accessibility.
- Step 2. Next simply tap the Voice control > Set Up Voice Control > Continue > Done.
- Step 3. When Voice Control is on, a microphone icon appears at the top of the screen.
- Step 4. Now simply Open Messages > Tap [contact name] > Tap the microphone and speak your message.
Other accessibility features
Just like the voice control, there are many other accessibility features like switch control or AssistiveTouch, letting you navigate the Messages app and send voice messages.
Managing and customizing your voice message experience
iPhone also enables users to control how they can store, access or listen to your voice messages. This way you can customize the experience based on storage or privacy preferences.
Automatic expiration of voice messages
Keep in mind that when you send voice messages via iMessage, these automatically expire after 2 minutes. Although this feature helps in saving your device storage, at the same time it would be troublesome if you want to keep your message. However, you don’t worry you can change the settings based on your preferences.
How to change this setting?
- Step 1. Open Settings on your iPhone > Messages.
- Step 2. Under messages, find the option labelled Audio Messages.
- Step 3. Now simply tap Expire and select Never to keep all voice messages permanently. Thereby helping you to revisit your important conversations anytime. Do remember! Storing voice clips may take your device’s storage.
Listening to received voice messages
iPhone also allows users to customize your listening by using the Raise to listen feature. By activating this you’ll just bring the phone near your ear, the voice message automatically plays. Here’s how you can enable this!
- Step 1. Open the Settings app > Messages > Raise to Listen.
- Step 2. Now, whenever you receive a voice message instead of clicking the play button just lift the phone near your ear. iPhone’s proximity sensor will switch from speaker to earpiece and you’ll listen to your voice message.
Is it safe for kids to send voice messages on an iPhone?
Voice messages are a convenient and, indeed a fun way for kids to communicate with their family. However, at the same time it raises privacy concerns like your kids might share their personal information with strangers online.
eSafety Commissioner recently conducted a survey revealing that 38% of aged 8–17 used the internet to chat with strangers. It furthur found that children, while interacting share personal information.
Instead of restricting kids from using this feature, it’s best to monitor their usage and screen time. You may consider using the FlashGet Kids parental control app because it combines a lot of features that keep you updated about your kids interactions in real-time.
- Screen mirroring: Let’s you see live to whom your kids are intercating on their iPhone’s message app.
- Usage report: FlashGet Kids also provides you with a detailed summary report about your kid’s phone usage. For instance, you can check how much time your kids have spent on different messaging apps.
- Screen time: You can also set time limits on the usage of individual apps like iMessage or any other. This way your kids may not spend excessive time on it.
Differentiating voice messages from other voice features
Voice message vs. voice dictation
Voice dictation also known as Siri dictation, is indeed iPhone’s built-in feature that lets users convert the spoken words into typed text form. This way, compared to a voice message, it doesn’t record any audio clip it simply records what you say. Thereby its best for a hand-free typing experience
Voice message vs. audio call
It’s noteworthy that a voice message is a short audio recording message that the recipient can play at any time when find convenient. On the other hand, a voice call is real-time that requires both parties to be active on the line.
Compared to the audio call voice messages are indeed ideal for leaving instructions or personal updates without requiring quick responses. However, for emergency or instant replies you can go for the audio calling option.
| Voice Message | Voice Dictation | Audio call | |
| Function | Sends audio clip | Converts speech to text | Real-time conversation |
| Tone & Emotion | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ |
| Delivery | Asynchronous | Instant text | Synchronous |
| Use Case | Personal messages | Hands-free typing | Live discussion |
Conclusion
In short, you can easily send voice message on your iPhone via iMessage by following our above mentioned guideline. In addition, Apple also lets users manage and customize their voice message experience. However when it comes to kids, you have to actively monitor their digital activities, like what kind of voice messages they are sending and to whom.
FAQs
Voice messages don’t have any strict length limit. However sending long recordings may fail because of network speed, file size, or available storage. That’s why its advisable to send short messages for a smooth experience.
Sometimes you can’t send voice messages on your iPhone, at that time don’t think there is any problem with your device. It could happen because of many reasons, like maybe iMessage or MMS is disabled in Settings. Moroever there may be no internet connection for iMessage or Poor network or carrier restrictions for MMS. Full device storage or large audio file size may also create hurdles in message delivery.
To save an audio message from an iPhone, simply go to your Messages app and navigate to the message you want to keep. Next tap and hold the voice message and choose Save or Keep option. This way, your message would get stored whether in Voice Memos or the Messages app itself.
