Guide
How to transcribe WhatsApp voice notes
Got a voice note several minutes long and can't listen right now? There are three ways to read it instead. We explain each one, what it does well and where it falls short.
1. With WhatsApp's own transcripts
WhatsApp has a feature that shows the text of a voice note. To turn it on:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings, then Chats.
- Turn on Voice message transcripts and choose the language.
- In a chat, press and hold the voice note and tap Transcribe.
Menu names can vary slightly depending on your phone and app version.
What it does well: it's free and already on your phone. Where it falls short: it shows the whole text word for word, with no summary; it doesn't translate; you have to ask for it on every voice note; and it uses the language you chose in settings, so a voice note in another language comes out badly.
2. With a bot you forward the voice note to
Some services have a WhatsApp number: you forward them the voice note and get the text back. They work on any phone, but you have to forward each voice note one by one and leave the chat where you received it. Before using one, read its privacy policy: your audio ends up with another service.
3. With MemoIA, without lifting a finger
MemoIA links to your WhatsApp with a QR code, like WhatsApp Web. From then on, every voice note you receive in a one-to-one chat gets a reply in the chat itself, with:
- a summary of what matters (decisions, dates, amounts and next steps), to read in seconds;
- the full text, for when you want the detail;
- a translation, when the voice note is in another language.
Summary
Bathroom works
• Work starts on Monday the 6th at 8am.
• The quote goes up by €240 because of the old pipes.
• You need to choose the tiles by Friday.
Original
Morning! So, I've had a proper look at the bathroom and the pipes are actually older than I thought…
Because the reply is a message, you can also read it on your computer and on WhatsApp Web. On the Plus and Pro plans, in the MemoIA dashboard (in your browser), you can also create tasks from what was agreed, search and ask questions about your chats.
Good to know: the reply appears in the chat, so your contact sees it too. If you'd rather that didn't happen with someone, type /stop in that chat.
To get started:
- Create a free account with your email.
- In WhatsApp, open Linked devices and scan the QR code shown in MemoIA.
- Wait for the next voice note: the reply arrives by itself.
Which one should you use?
| Bot | MemoIA | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Works by itself | No | No | Yes |
| Summary | No | Depends | Yes |
| Translation | No | Depends | Yes |
| Tasks from your chats | No | No | Yes, in the dashboard (Plus and Pro) |
| Search old voice notes | No | No | Yes, in the dashboard (Plus and Pro) |
| Price | Free | Varies | Free up to 10 minutes a month |
For the odd short voice note, WhatsApp's transcripts are enough. If you get long voice notes every day, or in other languages, MemoIA saves you the work.
Try it with the next voice note you receive
10 free minutes every month. No card and nothing to install.