WhatsApp Adds Settings to Automatically Translate Voice Messages#
July 4, 2025
WhatsApp is getting a change that will please those who prefer to read voice messages rather than listen to them! The latest beta for iOS (12/25/10/70, available via TestFlight) has a feature that allows users to customize the automatic translation of voice messages to text. This will give you more control over how your voice messages are handled, and will also allow you to tailor the feature to your needs.
1. What does it mean#
The new feature aims to give users more control over how they interact with voice messages. Previously, WhatsApp would always automatically transcribe voice messages if certain conditions were met. Now, users will be able to choose how this feature works, depending on their preferences.
2. How it works#
A new section for managing voice message transcripts will appear in WhatsApp settings. This section can be found in the following path: Settings - Chats - Voice message transcripts. In this section, users will have three options to choose from, allowing them to customize the transcript behavior according to their individual preferences:
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Automatic - voice messages will be automatically translated into text, as before
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Manual - transcription will only be launched upon user request. In this case, a special button will appear in the message window, allowing you to launch the translation into text as needed
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Disabled - transcription of voice messages will be completely disabled
By selecting the manual mode, you can control when exactly the decryption will be performed. This feature will be especially useful for those who want to save traffic or are concerned about privacy.
It's important to note that this feature is only available on devices running iOS 16 or later that support specific languages. Apple uses local language models to process voicemail transcripts, and these language packs are built into the operating system.
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With iOS 16 and above, supported languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Chinese, and Arabic.
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With iOS 17 or later, Danish, Finnish, Hebrew, Malay, Norwegian, Dutch, Swedish, and Thai are additionally supported.
3. Privacy#
It is important to note that voice messages will still be decrypted with end-to-end encryption. No voice messages will be uploaded to external servers during the decryption process, as all operations are performed directly on the device using local language models from Apple.
4. Accessibility#
The option to choose the transcription mode for voice messages is available to some beta testers who have installed the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS from the TestFlight app, and will be rolling out to more users in the coming weeks. Some users of the stable version of WhatsApp from the App Store may also be able to access the new section in Settings, but overall the new feature has not yet been widely rolled out.
5. Conclusion#
WhatsApp continues to improve the user experience by providing more options to customize the app to your needs. The new voice message transcription management feature is an important step towards greater flexibility and control.
Keep an eye on our blog as GREEN-API constantly talks about new and useful features in WhatsApp!