WhatsApp has announced that it is introducing voice message transcripts for all users, offering an additional way to interact with voice messages in the app.
As shown in this example, the new feature allows you to enable automatic transcripts of voice messages within the app, making it possible to read the audio notes people send you.
This could help bridge the gap between those who enjoy leaving voice messages and those who prefer not to listen to them, ensuring that you can engage with voice messages in any situation while enhancing accessibility.
WhatsApp explains that voice message transcripts will be generated directly on your phone, ensuring that no one—”not even WhatsApp”—can listen to or read them.
Even though the messages will be converted into text, WhatsApp’s core privacy and security measures will remain intact, and the feature will support multiple languages.
As per TechCrunch:
“On iOS, the languages supported depend on your operating system. If you have iOS 16 or higher, the supported languages include English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Chinese, and Arabic. For iOS 17+, additional languages like Danish, Finnish, Malay, Norwegian, Dutch, Swedish, Hebrew, and Thai are supported. On Android, transcripts are available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian.”
This feature could be a useful addition, allowing users to communicate in their preferred style while giving recipients the flexibility to choose how they engage with the message.
However, there is a possibility that the automated transcripts may not always be fully accurate. Yet, based on the performance of automated transcription tools in other social apps, users can usually identify potential errors, so this shouldn’t pose a significant issue.
Another factor to keep in mind for your WhatsApp experience.
WhatsApp has announced that voice message transcripts will be gradually rolled out worldwide “over the coming weeks.”