- To send a voice message on iPhone, press and hold the record button next to the iMessage text box.
- You can listen to a voice message by opening it in the Messages app and tapping the media file.
- To stop voice messages from expiring two minutes after the recipient plays them, remove the limit in Settings.
While texting is the most popular form of communication these days, you can't always fit everything you want to say in a quick written message.
Thankfully, you can send a voice message on your iPhone. And the best part of a voice message is that it actually conveys tone, unlike text messages, where it can be hard to express excitement or joy.
Here's what you need to know about how to send a voice message on an iPhone, as well as listen to one you've received.
How to send a voice message on your iPhone
1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. Either begin a new iMessage conversation by tapping the pen and paper icon in the upper right-hand corner of the Messages screen or open an existing iMessage conversation.
Tap the pen and paper icon to begin a new conversation. Stefan Ionescu3. Press and hold the record button — it looks like a sound wave — to the right of the iMessage text box and begin recording your voice message.
4. When finished, release the record button. You will then see two icons next to the message; a play button and an upward-facing arrow.
Release the record button when you’re done recording your message. Stefan Ionescu5. Press the play button to listen to what you've recorded, or tap the upward-facing arrow to send your voice message.
How to listen to a voice message on iPhone
If you're the recipient of a voice message, you can access it from the Messages app.
1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. Tap the conversation with the voice message to open it.
3. Tap the voice message's media file to listen to it.
How to change the expiration length of voice messages on iPhone
By default, voice messages are deleted two minutes after the recipient listens to them. However, you can choose to save the audio message you've sent by tapping the Keep option beneath the media file.
You can also change your iPhone's automatic settings to ensure your messages are kept longer on your device.
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Messages.
3. Tap Expire under the Audio Messages heading.
Tap “Expire.” Stefan Ionescu4. Tap Never.
This makes it so any voice message you send or receive won't expire on your device. Messages you send to others, however, will still expire on their devices, unless they've also changed their settings.
Disadvantages with using voice messages on iPhone
While a voice message can seem like the better option over lengthy text, it does come with a couple of disadvantages, including:
- Not discrete: It might be a hassle for the receiver to listen to the voice message discreetly, especially if they're in a place that doesn't allow noise, such as a library or movie theater.
- Issues with downloading: If the voice message is lengthy, it might take longer to download compared to one that's short and sweet. If the receiver is in an area with poor network coverage, it can take them a while or even multiple tries to finally download and listen to the voice message.
- The voice message might disappear: Some users don't know that a voice message will disappear after two minutes if they don't save it. They might play it, not listen to it properly, and decide to do that later. And when they open it again, they'll find that it's gone.
- You have to re-record the voice message if you mess up: You can easily edit any part of a text message before sending it. After you finish recording a voice message on your iPhone, however, you can't edit it. You either have to send it as it is or record it again without messing up.
Jennifer is a writer and editor from Brooklyn, New York, who spends her time traveling, drinking iced coffee, and watching way too much TV. She has bylines in Vanity Fair, Glamour, Decider, Mic, and many more. You can find her on Twitter at @jenniferlstill.
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