WhatsApp audio
How to turn a WhatsApp voice message into text
Save a WhatsApp voice message, upload the original file, and review, copy or download its transcript. Includes phone and computer saving steps and upload troubleshooting.
Updated October 1, 2026
Save the WhatsApp voice message as a file, then upload it to Transcrever. Original .opus, .ogg and .m4a files can be uploaded directly. You do not need to convert or rename them.
1. Save the message you need
Save the individual message you want to transcribe. Check that you have an audio file rather than a link to the conversation.
iPhone
Press and hold the voice message and look for the forwarding or sharing options. In the system share sheet, choose Save to Files and note the folder. Menu names vary by version. If you cannot find a save option, open the same message on your computer and download it there.
Android
Press and hold the voice message and check its sharing options. Save the audio through a file manager or a destination that keeps the original file. If no file-saving destination is available, download the message on your computer.
WhatsApp on a computer
Open the menu beside the message and look for the download option. Save the audio in Downloads or another folder you can find. A conversation URL is not an audio file.
Play the beginning and end of the saved copy to check that it is complete. There is no need to play it through a speaker and record it again.
2. Upload the file for transcription
Open WhatsApp audio to text. First choose the language spoken in the message. Enable speaker separation for a conversation with several voices, and add important names or terms to the vocabulary if needed.
Then choose the upload button and select your saved file. Selecting it starts the upload. Once the task is complete, open the transcript.
3. Review, copy or download the text
Search for names, dates, amounts or addresses. Play the corresponding passage and correct recognition errors. For a conversation, also check who said each passage.
Copy the checked text for a reply. Download TXT or DOCX to save it or continue editing elsewhere. Choose SRT or VTT when you need captions with timestamps.
If the upload does not work
| What you see | What to do next |
|---|---|
| The file is missing from the picker | Open the folder where you saved it; download cloud files to your device before selecting the audio |
| The file is empty or ends before the message | Return to WhatsApp and save the original message again |
| A size or duration limit notice | Check the limit shown in the upload area; trim a copy if appropriate, or compare subscriptions and one-time minutes on the pricing page |
| Not enough minutes | Compare your balance with the recording duration before buying minutes or selecting a shorter passage |
| A complete OPUS file still fails | Keep the original and note the exact error for Help and support; do not repeatedly rename the extension |
| The recording is complete but the text has errors | Listen and edit the passage; format conversion will not correct an existing transcript |
Common questions
The saved file says OPUS. Must I convert it to MP3?
No. Upload the original OPUS, OGG or M4A file directly. Renaming a file also cannot repair a damaged or incomplete download.
Must I connect my WhatsApp account?
No. You upload only the file you select; Transcrever does not read your conversations. Uploading sends that recording to an online service for processing, so choose content appropriate to share.
What if WhatsApp already displays the text?
If you only need to read a message and that text is enough, keep reading it in WhatsApp. Save and upload the file when you need to search, edit or download a transcript.