WhatsApp announced on Thursday the rollout of a new feature that transcribes voice messages into text.
Enhancing Communication
This update, set to be available globally in the coming weeks, aims to facilitate conversations when users cannot listen to voice messages—such as in noisy environments or while on the move.
Privacy and Security
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. This ensures that the content remains private and secure, without any third-party access, including WhatsApp itself.
How to Activate the Feature
To enable this feature, users must go to Settings > Chats > Voice Message Transcripts and activate it. Once enabled, users can transcribe any voice message by long-pressing on the message and selecting the “transcribe” option.
Manual Initiation and Language Support
It’s important to note that transcription will not occur automatically; users must manually initiate it for each voice message. Initially, the feature supports a limited number of languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian on Android. iOS 16+ and iOS 17+ users will have access to a broader range of languages, such as German, French, Chinese, Arabic, and more. WhatsApp plans to expand language support in the coming months to reach a wider audience.
Meeting User Demands
The introduction of voice message transcripts addresses the increasing demand for ways to stay connected, even when listening to audio messages is not convenient. This enhancement is expected to significantly improve user experience, particularly in situations where listening is impractical.
