WhatsApp voice message transcription finally arrives on Android

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WhatsApp is introducing voice message transcription to Android users, expanding a feature previously available only on iOS. 

After nearly two years of development and initial beta testing, this functionality is now rolling out globally for both Android and iOS through the stable app version. 

It allows users to generate written transcripts of voice messages directly on their devices, a convenient tool for those who can’t listen to audio messages at a given time.

You can now read WhatsApp voice messages on Android

WhatsApp voice message transcripts can come in handy when you can’t hear a voice message properly in a loud place or just don’t want to listen to a long voice message. 

The transcription process is performed locally on the user’s device, ensuring privacy.

WhatsApp has emphasized that messages remain end-to-end encrypted, meaning neither WhatsApp nor external parties can access the transcribed content.

The feature is disabled by default and requires manual activation. Users can enable it by navigating to Settings > Chats and toggling on Voice Message Transcripts.

Once enabled, they can transcribe a message by long-pressing it and selecting Transcribe.

Android users can choose from four supported languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian.

In contrast, iOS offers a broader range of supported languages, contingent on the device’s operating system. 

However, WhatsApp plans to expand support for more languages over the coming months. A full list of supported languages is available on the app’s support page.

The feature will be rolled out to users worldwide in the coming weeks. It provides a seamless way to read voice messages without compromising the app’s stringent privacy standards.

WhatsApp’s voice message transcription feature may sometimes encounter issues. If you see a “Transcript unavailable” error, it could be due to:

• A mismatch between your transcript language setting and the voice message language.
• Unrecognized words caused by background noise.
• An unsupported language for the voice message.

Additionally, WhatsApp cautions users not to fully rely on the feature, as transcriptions might occasionally be inaccurate.

What do you think about this feature added to WhatsApp? Will you be using it? Let’s talk about it below in the comments, or ping us via our Twitter or Facebook.