How to turn on WhatsApp voice-note transcription (and turn it off)
Turning on voice-message transcription in WhatsApp takes under a minute, but a few details trip most people up: on iPhone, the option stays invisible while Siri is off; on Android, a language pack has to download first, and the list of languages is short. Here's the exact procedure to enable it, to turn it off again, and what to do when it won't show.
We lead with the native method, free and built in. Abrège only comes at the end, for what the native feature doesn't do: it gives raw text with gaps (often on names, numbers and addresses) and it summarises nothing, so a long voice note stays long.
The native method, free
Enable WhatsApp voice message transcripts
The feature is built into WhatsApp and costs nothing. Four steps are enough, but the third is the one almost everyone forgets on iPhone.
- 1 Open WhatsApp, then Settings (iPhone, tab at the bottom) or the three-dot menu then Settings (Android). Go to Chats.
- 2 Turn on "Voice message transcripts", then pick your transcription language. On Android, WhatsApp downloads a language pack at this point: stay on Wi-Fi and let it finish.
- 3 On iPhone only: check that Siri is on, in Settings then Siri. Without it, the transcription option doesn't appear at all. It's the number-one cause of "it doesn't work for me".
- 4 Go back to a conversation, long-press a voice message and choose "Transcribe". The text appears under the message, and you can collapse it afterwards.
The limits, even once it is on
- • The text is raw and has gaps: on fast speech, accents, noise or several voices, recognition skips words, and the blanks often land on what matters (names, numbers, addresses).
- • Transcription is word for word, with no summary: a four-minute voice note is still four minutes to read, digressions included.
- • On Android, the stable version only covers a handful of languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hindi and Arabic). The Android beta 2.26.37.5 (September 2026) is testing French, German, Italian and Japanese, but they are not in the stable version yet.
When you need the details right, or the gist of a long voice note rather than all of it, forward it to Abrège: an accurate transcription and a summary, in the same chat, within seconds.
Turn on, turn off, or fix WhatsApp transcription
How to turn off WhatsApp transcription
Same path in reverse: Settings, then Chats, then switch "Voice message transcripts" off. "Transcribe" no longer appears when you long-press a voice note, and you are back to listening. You can switch it on again at any time.
Turning it off changes nothing for the person who sent the voice note: transcription happens on your phone and they are never told whether you read or listened.
The language pack: why the option stays greyed out
On Android, transcripts only work once the language pack for your chosen language has finished downloading. If the option is greyed out, or "Transcribe" returns nothing, check you have Wi-Fi and some free storage, then pick the language again to restart the download.
On iPhone, the recognition model comes from iOS itself. The first transcript in a new language can take a moment while it downloads, and Siri has to be on for the option to exist at all.
Where the transcript appears (and why it sometimes lags)
Transcription isn't automatic: you trigger it voice note by voice note, with a long-press then "Transcribe". The text appears directly under the message, in the conversation bubble.
The processing happens entirely on your phone, never on WhatsApp's servers. That's why the very first transcript in a language takes a moment. It's also what preserves end-to-end encryption.
Android and French: what the beta changes
In the stable version of WhatsApp for Android, French is still not offered for transcripts. The Android beta 2.26.37.5 (September 2026) is testing French, German, Italian and Japanese, with no date announced for the stable release. Until then, digging through the settings won't make French appear.
Even once it lands, the built-in text will have the same limits as in other languages: raw, with gaps, and no summary.
Transcription or summary: which really saves you time
Turning on transcription fixes a discretion problem, not a time problem. Under a minute, reading the word-for-word text is faster than listening. Past two or three minutes, you end up with 600 words to read for a single sentence that concerns you.
A summary changes that: it hands you the key points and the action to remember in a few lines. Transcription changes the message's format; a summary cuts the time it costs you.
Turning on transcription: which method for your phone
Three cases. This table helps you see which fits your situation, no detours.
| iPhone (native) | Android (native) | Abrège | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you get | Word-for-word text, with gaps | Word-for-word text, with gaps | Accurate transcription plus a summary |
| Languages | Around twenty, French from iOS 16 | A handful in stable; French in beta only | Many languages; summary in English, French, Arabic, Spanish or Portuguese |
| Long voice notes | To read in full | To read in full | Cut to the gist |
| Cost | Free | Free | Free 5/month, then €3/month |
| Privacy | On the device | On the device | Transcribed via OpenAI then deleted, servers in Europe |
Be honest with yourself about your need: for short voice notes in a supported language, native transcription is enough and stays the most private. Abrège takes over when the details must be right, when you want the gist of a long voice note, or when your language isn't offered on your phone.
Frequently asked questions
About How to turn on WhatsApp voice-note transcription (and turn it off)
How do I turn on transcription in WhatsApp?
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The transcript doesn't show, what do I do?
Is it better to turn on transcription or use a summary?
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