Can you send audio text on Android?
Android’s built-in messaging app and many popular third party messaging apps allow users to send audio recordings as message attachments, known as audio messages or voice notes. These audio clips offer a convenient hands-free way to communicate, especially compared to typing out long text messages on a mobile keyboard. However, audio messages also come with some potential drawbacks around privacy, storage limits, and accessibility.
Android’s Default Messaging App
Android’s default messaging app, Messages, supports sending audio messages to other SMS and RCS contacts. To send an audio message in Messages, tap the microphone icon when composing a new message and record your message by holding the button [1].
Audio messages in Messages are limited to a 2 minute duration [2]. The Messages app will automatically stop the recording once you reach the 2 minute limit. There does not seem to be a limit on the file size for audio messages.
To play audio messages received in Messages, simply tap on the message. The audio will play directly within the conversation thread. Messages also shows a waveform visualization as the audio plays to indicate the audio playback progress.
WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that allows users to send audio messages. Here are the key details about WhatsApp’s audio message capabilities:
Sending Audio Messages
To send an audio message on WhatsApp, simply tap and hold the mic icon while in a chat. This will let you record a voice message hands free. When done, lift your finger off the mic icon to send it. Audio messages on WhatsApp can be up to 100 MB in size.
Playback Options
WhatsApp offers features to make listening to audio messages easier. You can play audio messages at 1x, 1.5x or 2x speed. There is also a preview feature that lets you quickly listen to the first part of longer audio messages.
File Size and Length Limits
According to sources, the maximum length for a WhatsApp audio message is about 16 minutes and 38 seconds, or 100 MB in size, whichever limit is reached first. So in theory, you could send even longer audio files if they are compressed to stay under 100 MB. There are no other hard limits on length – some users have shared audio recordings over an hour long by saving them in multiple parts.
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger allows users to easily send audio messages using the built-in audio recording feature within the app. According to LinkedIn, Facebook recently extended the limit for voice messages from 1 minute to 30 minutes (source).
To send an audio message in Facebook Messenger:
- Tap and hold the microphone icon
- Start recording your message
- Lift your finger to stop and send the message
The updated 30 minute time limit allows users to send longer voice notes and audio messages. There are also playback features that allow you to speed up or slow down the audio to listen more conveniently.
Overall, Facebook Messenger makes sending audio messages very seamless with quick access to recording and helpful playback options.
Telegram
Telegram allows users to send audio recordings as voice messages up to 2 GB in size, with no time limit on length (Is there a limit on the size of messages sent through Telegram?). Before sending an audio message, users can preview it and re-record if needed. Playback options include speed adjustment and automatic captions.
Some users have reported issues sending very large files approaching the 2 GB limit, finding that just under 2 GB tends to go through reliably (What’s the exact file size limit on Telegram?). Bitrates for voice messages sent from Telegram’s desktop app are higher than ideal for mobile data usage, at around 0.5 MB per minute, but mobile apps seem to be more optimized (Lower voice message bitrate).
Signal
Signal is a fast and secure messaging app that allows users to send encrypted audio messages for free. Some key features of voice messaging in Signal include:
- Encrypted audio messages – Voice messages in Signal use end-to-end encryption, meaning the messages stay private between you and the recipient.
- Quick voice messages – You can easily record and send short voice messages by tapping and holding the mic icon.
- File limits – Signal audio messages have a maximum length of 2 minutes, and files are limited to 100MB (source).
- Playback features – You can play audio messages at various speeds, pause/resume playback, and preview the waveform.
In summary, Signal offers a fast and private way to exchange voice messages on Android. The encryption ensures your conversations stay confidential.
Other Apps
In addition to Android’s default messaging app and popular apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Signal, there are other apps that allow you to send audio messages on Android devices:
Viber – Viber is a calling and messaging app that lets you make free calls and send texts, photos, videos and audio messages to other Viber users. You can record and send short audio clips directly in chats. Viber also supports group chats with up to 200 participants.
WeChat – WeChat is a hugely popular chat app in China and other parts of Asia. It offers voice messaging features, allowing you to exchange short audio messages. You press and hold the mic icon to record an audio clip, then slide to send. WeChat also supports group chats.
LINE – LINE is a multifaceted text and voice/video chat app. You can send audio clips in chat, or enable a “Voice Talk” mode for real-time voice conversations. LINE also has public chat rooms, supports group chats, and includes other social networking features.
Advantages
There are several key advantages to sending audio messages instead of text messages on Android devices:
- Quick and easy: Recording and sending a short voice message can be faster and easier than typing out a long text message.
- Add emotion and tone: Audio messages allow the sender to include not just the words but also emotional tone, emphasis, and inflection that is lacking in written text. This can help add meaning and nuance to the communication.
- Hands-free option: Voice messaging provides a convenient hands-free option for people to communicate while driving, cooking, walking, or doing other activities. This is a safer alternative that keeps both hands available for tasks that require focus and manual dexterity.
In many situations, sending a quick voice note can enrich the communication experience beyond what is possible with text alone. The extra context and emotional expressiveness can help convey the sender’s full intended meaning.
Disadvantages
While audio messages can be more personal and convey nuances, they also have some drawbacks:
Can’t skim audio like text: With a text message, you can quickly skim it to grasp the main ideas. This is harder with audio messages that must be listened to in real time. If the message is long, this can demand more attention than desired (Source).
No transcript: Audio messages don’t provide a written record you can easily refer back to or search later. Text messages are simpler to save and find again when needed.
File size constraints: Platforms like WhatsApp limit audio messages to a few minutes to control file sizes. This can cut longer messages short (Source).
Conclusion
Android offers several messaging apps with the capability to send audio recordings to other users. The default messaging app on most Android phones allows you to record and send audio messages quickly and easily. Third party apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Signal also have this feature.
The ability to send audio messages can be convenient and save time over typing long messages. It can also help convey emotion better than plain text. However, audio messages may not always be appropriate, like in quiet public settings or for very long content. The recipient also loses the ability to go back and reread messages.
As messaging apps continue adding features, we may see improvements to audio messaging options on Android. This could include transcription of audio to text, audio quality enhancements, or tools to edit audio clips. But the basic capability is already mature and available now across most major messaging platforms.