WhatsApp can write out the voice messages you receive, right on your phone. It’s off by default. Go to Settings, then Chats, turn on Voice Message Transcripts and choose a language. Then tap and hold a voice message and tap Transcribe. It only works in some languages, and you can’t copy the text it gives you.
How to turn them on
On iPhone (WhatsApp’s help page):
- Go to WhatsApp Settings and tap Chats.
- Turn on Voice Message Transcripts.
- Tap Choose language and pick the language most of your voice messages are in.
- Tap Change to your language.
You need iOS 16 or newer with Siri turned on. WhatsApp also says “Hey Siri” must be on for transcripts to show. If Siri was off before, you may need to download the language.
On Android (WhatsApp’s help page):
- Go to WhatsApp Settings and tap Chats.
- Turn on Voice Message Transcripts.
- Tap Choose language and pick the language most of your voice messages are in.
- Tap Set up now or Wait for Wi-Fi to download it.
To read one, tap and hold a voice message. On iPhone, tap Transcribe. On Android, tap the three dots, then Transcribe. It can take a moment. On some versions you choose under Receive transcripts instead, and transcripts may appear without tapping Transcribe.
To change language, go to Settings, Chats, Transcript language. WhatsApp says turning transcripts off resets your language settings.
Which languages work
These are the lists on WhatsApp’s help page for Android and iPhone when we wrote this:
| Phone | Languages |
|---|---|
| Android | English, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian |
| iPhone, iOS 16 and up | English, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish |
| iPhone, iOS 17 and up | The list above, plus Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hebrew, Malay, Norwegian, Swedish and Thai |
These lists change. WhatsApp’s own page on channels adds Hindi for Android, and WABetaInfo reported more languages in a test version in September 2026. Your phone’s language picker is the best guide to what you can use today.
Why you see “Transcript unavailable”
- The language doesn’t match. Your transcript language is different from the language of the voice message. You pick one language, so a note in another one can fail. This is worth checking first, especially if you speak more than one language with the same person.
- Some words aren’t recognized. Background noise can cause this.
- The language isn’t supported. Check the list above.
On iPhone, WhatsApp’s page on channels adds two more for voice updates: iOS older than 16, and Siri being off. Both match the requirements for voice messages, so check those as well.
You’ll see other reasons online, such as low storage or Low Power Mode. We found these only on sites selling transcription tools, with nothing from WhatsApp to back them up, though they’re quick to rule out.
What it won’t do
- Your own notes. WhatsApp says the recipient can see transcripts and the sender can’t.
- Copying. You can’t delete, edit, or copy and paste a transcript. So you can read it, but you can’t easily keep it.
- Computers. The feature isn’t available on the web app, the Mac app or the Windows app, so use your phone.
- Perfect accuracy. WhatsApp says transcripts may be inaccurate, so listen to anything that matters.
WhatsApp doesn’t say whether transcripts come along when you export a chat, or whether they survive a backup. We couldn’t confirm either, so don’t count on them being in your file.
It doesn’t say whether you can search the words in a transcript, either. WABetaInfo reported that you can on an iPhone test version, so try it on your own phone.
Is it private
WhatsApp says transcripts are generated on your device, and that your voice messages stay end-to-end encrypted. It says nobody outside the chat, including WhatsApp, can listen to them or see the transcripts.
When you need more than this
WhatsApp’s transcripts suit reading a note when you can’t play it. They’re harder to use for a whole chat, because each one is read inside the app and the text can’t be copied out.
| WhatsApp’s transcripts | A written-out export | |
|---|---|---|
| Works on | Notes you received | Every note in the export |
| Languages | The list above, one chosen at a time | Depends on the tool you use |
| Can you keep the text | Inside WhatsApp only | Yes, as a file |
| In date order with the chat | You read each one in place | Yes, if the tool lays it out that way |
Our guide to turning voice notes into text goes through the options, and our article on saving voice messages shows how to keep the audio itself.
If you want them all on paper, export the chat with media and open it on Chatonfile.com. You can read the chat and play the notes free on your own device. If you order a PDF, every note in your export is written out word for word in the language it was spoken, including the ones you sent, and placed in date order with the rest of the chat. It also comes with a summary of the key highlights and promises.
AI can mishear words, as WhatsApp’s transcripts can, so keep the audio and check anything important. That matters most if you plan to use a voice note as evidence.
Common questions
Why does WhatsApp say Transcript unavailable?
WhatsApp gives three reasons: your transcript language doesn't match the voice message, some words weren't recognized, perhaps because of background noise, or the language isn't supported. On iPhone, WhatsApp's page on channels adds an older iOS or Siri being off.
Can I transcribe a voice message I sent?
WhatsApp says the recipient can see transcripts and the sender can't, and its pages only describe received voice messages. So you can expect to see transcripts only on notes sent to you.
Can WhatsApp hear my voice messages when it transcribes them?
WhatsApp says transcripts are generated on your device and that nobody outside the chat, including WhatsApp, can listen to your voice messages or see their transcripts.
Can I copy a WhatsApp transcript?
No. WhatsApp says you can't delete, edit, or copy and paste voice message transcripts.
Do transcripts work on WhatsApp Web or the desktop apps?
WhatsApp says the feature is only available on certain devices, and its troubleshooting page marks it as unavailable on the web app, the Mac app and the Windows app. Use your phone.
