After a series of beta tests on iOS, Meta is rolling out the voice message transcription feature on WhatsApp to all users. However, the selection of supported languages on Android remains limited for now.
Meta has announced that users will now be able to transcribe voice messages sent via WhatsApp. This feature aims to make it easier for users to understand the content of voice messages without having to listen to them directly, which is particularly useful in noisy environments or for individuals with hearing impairments.
Privacy and Functionality
According to Meta, transcriptions are processed automatically and solely on the user’s device, ensuring that no one else can access or read the messages. To activate the feature, users need to enable it manually in the app settings by navigating to Settings > Chats > Voice Message Transcriptions.
To transcribe a voice message, users can press and hold the message and then tap the “Transcribe” option. However, users must manually select the language for transcription in the settings, as WhatsApp does not yet offer automatic language detection.
Language Availability
The availability of supported languages depends on the operating system. iOS users benefit from a significantly broader range of options compared to Android.
On Android, users currently have access to English, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish for transcription. Meanwhile, iOS users, starting from iOS 16, can transcribe messages in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Chinese, and Arabic. With the release of iOS 17, additional languages—such as Finnish, Hebrew, Malay, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, and Thai—have been added.
A Gradual Rollout
Meta began testing the transcription feature on iOS in 2023 through a beta program, gradually expanding its availability to more users. The company has stated that additional languages will become available for Android users in the coming weeks, but it has not provided a timeline for when German or other languages will be supported.
This new feature underlines Meta’s commitment to enhancing accessibility and usability on WhatsApp, allowing users to interact with the app more conveniently, regardless of their circumstances or environment.