Support for WhatsApp voice message transcription coming soon

The ability to leave voice messages in WhatsApp and other chat apps is handy when you’re in a rush or don’t feel like typing out everything you want to say. However, it’s also a somewhat annoying way to talk to others on the phone. Each participant sends a voice message and then listens to the response, and the exchange can go on for a while without the two people actually having a phone conversation.

As convenient as WhatsApp voice messages may be, there is one problem with them. You don’t get a transcript of what was said, and that can complicate things tremendously. I say this as a long-time WhatsApp user who isn’t that keen on voice messages anyway. But Meta is about to fix the problem by adding voice message transcription support to WhatsApp.

As always, it is WABetaInfo with the introduction of the new WhatsApp feature. WhatsApp Beta for Android 2.24.15.5 brings voice message transcription to some devices.

As it stands, transcription works with voice messages in specific languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, and Hindi. You’ll need to download language packs before you can transcribe messages. More languages ​​will likely follow once the feature rolls out.

Screenshots shared by the blog suggest that voice transcription happens on the device. WhatsApp will inform users that voice messages will continue to remain end-to-end encrypted even after transcription. This is the only acceptable way to transcribe voice messages anywhere on the phone, but especially in chat apps.

It’s unclear if Meta AI will be used to transcribe voice messages in WhatsApp, but I wouldn’t be surprised if AI is at play here. Also, it’s unclear when the transcription feature will roll out, but it looks like Meta will certainly introduce this to WhatsApp and possibly other chat apps it owns.

The advent of generative AI products made transcription services easier than before, although they existed before the introduction of products like ChatGPT and Gemini.

However, we are getting more GenAI features on mobile that enable transcriptions. This isn’t just happening in chat apps. The Notes app in iOS 18 will get voice transcription support. The same goes for the Voice Memos and Phone apps.

Similarly, Samsung has integrated a transcription feature into its Samsung Notes app on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6, with the feature powered by Galaxy AI. Additionally, Samsung announced that Live Translate, its in-device translation feature, will work in popular third-party messaging and calling apps. WhatsApp should be one of them. Transcription support will work great there too.

While voice transcription is great for work-related tasks, meetings, interviews, and anything that involves voice recordings, chat apps like WhatsApp are likely to benefit just as much, if not more.

By transcribing voice messages, you no longer have to wait for a convenient time to listen to them. You can see what your friends and family have to say, even in environments where playing audio is frowned upon. Plus, having transcriptions on hand allows you to search for information in those voice messages later. The current alternative is to listen to those files again to find the information you’re looking for.