How to send and receive audio messages in Messages on iPad

You can record and send audio messages, along with transcripts of what’s said in the message. Audio messages are automatically deleted to save space on your iPad, but if you want to save them, you can.

Instead of typing, you record a message that plays right in the Messages conversation. Before you send it, you can listen to review it or keep recording to add to the end. You can also choose to always keep audio messages.

Note: Audio message transcription is available in select languages.

Record and send an audio message

You can record an audio message instead of writing a text message, and it can be played right in the Messages conversation.

1. Go to the Messages app on your iPad.
2. In a conversation, tap the Add button.
3. Tap Audio, then begin speaking.
4. Tap the Stop button to pause or end your recording. Then do any of the following to your message:
   • Send it: Tap the Send button.
   • Listen to review it: Tap the Play button.
   • Add to the end of it: Tap the Continue Recording button (with the message duration).
   • Cancel it: Tap the Close button.
5. Tap Keep to save an incoming or outgoing audio message on your iPad.

   Otherwise, the recording is deleted from the conversation—on your iPad only—2 minutes after you send or listen to it. Recipients can play your recording any time after they receive it. To save it, they need to tap Keep within 2 minutes after listening to it.

Quick tip: Touching and holding the Record Audio button in the text field lets you send follow-up audio messages more quickly.

Transcriptions of audio messages use the language chosen in the sender’s Settings. If you’d like your outgoing messages in another language, see our article, Change the language and region.

Always keep audio messages

1. Start the Settings app on your iPad.
2. Tap Apps, then tap Messages.
3. Tap Expire (below Audio Messages) and tap Never.

Listen to or reply to a recorded audio message

1. Start the Messages app on your iPad.
2. Open a conversation with an audio message and tap the Play button to play it.
3. Do any of the following:
   • Slide right and left on the audio message to fast-forward or rewind.
   • Touch and hold the Play button or the Pause button to adjust the playback speed.
4. Tap Keep to save an audio message in the conversation.

   To save the message in the Voice Memos app, touch and hold the audio message, then tap Save to Voice Memos.

Switch to FaceTime from Messages

You can quickly make an audio or video call instead of sending a message by switching to FaceTime. In a Messages conversation, tap the FaceTime button.

See also

• Get started with Voice Memos on iPad
• Change your voicemail greeting and settings on iPad
• Make FaceTime calls on iPad
• Dictate text on iPad