How do I send a voice message from my iPhone to my Android?

iPhones and Androids can’t natively send voice messages directly to each other. This is because iPhones use iMessage to send voice memos while Androids rely on MMS messaging. Since these messaging systems differ, voice messages sent between the two platforms won’t go through unless using a third-party app. However, with just a few extra steps, you can send a voice message from an iPhone that your Android friends will receive as an MMS audio file they can listen to.

Enable MMS Messaging

To send voice messages from an iPhone to an Android device, MMS messaging must first be enabled on the iPhone. MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) allows sending messages with media attachments like images, audio, and video. iPhones have MMS capabilities but it needs to be set up properly to work.

To enable MMS on an iPhone:

Go to Settings > Cellular or Settings > Mobile Data.
Under Cellular Data Options or Mobile Data Options, make sure MMS Messaging is toggled on.
If prompted, configure MMS settings like MMSC, MMS proxy, and MMS port for your carrier. Contact your carrier for the proper MMS settings.

Once MMS is enabled, iPhones can send and receive picture, video, and audio messages like voice memos. With MMS activated, you can now record and send voice messages to Android users or other iPhone users.

Source: Ask Me Fast

Record Voice Message

To record a voice message on an iPhone, first open the Messages app. Then start a new message or open an existing conversation. Next, touch and hold the microphone icon on the bottom left of the keyboard until you see the “Slide to Record” message. This indicates you can now start recording.

As you speak into the microphone, you’ll see sound waves animating to visually represent the recording in progress. Once finished, simply lift your finger off the microphone icon to stop recording. You can playback the voice message within Messages by tapping it. The recording will automatically send as an MMS audio file when you hit send on the conversation.

According to Apple’s iPhone user guide, you can move the microphone closer or further away while recording to adjust the level and volume captured [1]. The Voice Memos app on iPhone contains similar functionality for recording audio messages [2].

Send as MMS

To send a voice message from an iPhone to an Android device, you will need to send it as an MMS message rather than an iMessage. iMessages only work between Apple devices, while MMS messages work across platforms.

After you record your voice message on your iPhone, go to send it. Rather than tapping the send button normally, you need to long press the send button. This will bring up an option to “Send as SMS.” Select this option.

Sending as an SMS will send the voice message as an MMS. This allows Android and other non-Apple devices to receive and play the voice message. Just make sure MMS messaging is enabled on the receiving device as well. Apple’s discussions forum confirms this process for sending iPhone voice messages to Android.

Receive MMS on Android

To receive MMS messages on an Android device, you may need to enable MMS receiving in your messaging app settings. Many Android devices come with the Messages app pre-installed for handling SMS and MMS. In the Messages settings, ensure MMS is enabled and mobile data is turned on. Some carriers also require an MMS plan or feature to be added to your service^[1]. If you continue having issues receiving MMS on the stock Messages app, try installing a third-party messaging app like Google Hangouts which can sometimes resolve MMS problems^[2].

The most common reasons for MMS issues on Android include having mobile data disabled, needing to enable MMS features/settings in the messaging app, using old settings from a previous device, or carrier/network incompatibility problems. Try basic troubleshooting like rebooting, updating your OS, resetting messaging app defaults, or factory resetting if nothing else resolves MMS receipt failures.

Play Voice Message

Once you receive the MMS message containing the voice recording on your Android device, open the Messages app and select the conversation thread with the iPhone user. You will see a “Play” icon next to any multimedia messages they have sent, including voice recordings.

To listen to the voice message, simply tap the “Play” icon. The recording will begin playing through your device’s speaker or headphones if connected. You can pause and restart playback as needed. The voice quality may vary depending on the recording conditions and length of the message.

MMS messages containing audio are downloaded to your device so you can access them offline. To play a voice message again later, open the conversation thread and tap the “Play” icon next to the message.

Saving Voice Messages

When sending an audio message between an iPhone and an Android device, the message will be saved as an MMS. MMS messages contain media content such as photos, videos, or audio files. On both iOS and Android devices, MMS messages are saved by default to the native messaging app.

On an iPhone, incoming and outgoing MMS messages, including those containing audio, are stored in the Messages app. To save an audio message on an iPhone for later listening:

Open the Messages app and select the conversation containing the voice message.
Long press on the audio message bubble.
Tap ‘Save’ to save the audio file to your Photos app.

On Android devices, received MMS messages are automatically saved. To find audio messages:

Open the Messages or Messaging app.
Select the conversation with the audio message.

Long press on the message bubble.
Tap ‘Save audio’ or ‘Download audio’ to save to device storage.

In addition to device storage, MMS audio messages can also be saved to cloud storage services like iCloud or Google Drive by enabling syncing and backups in your device settings. This provides redundancy if messages are accidentally deleted from the device.

Audio Quality

MMS messages have limitations on audio quality due to file size restrictions. MMS messages are limited to 300 KB in size, so audio files sent via MMS need to be compressed to fit within this size constraint.

In addition, most carriers limit MMS audio messages to 30 seconds in length to reduce file size. This audio length restriction requires the quality to be compressed substantially in order to meet the 300 KB cap.

According to one review of the Nokia 101 phone on MyCashKit, “audio quality is not good” for MMS messages due to these size and length constraints requiring heavy compression [1].

Therefore, users should expect reduced audio quality when sending voice messages via MMS between an iPhone and Android. The compression will make the audio sound lower quality compared to the original recording.

Alternative Options

While voice messaging between iPhone and Android is possible using MMS, there are some alternative cross-platform messaging apps that may provide an easier way to send voice messages across platforms.

Some popular alternative options include:

WhatsApp – This messaging app allows free voice messaging between iPhone and Android users. It utilizes an internet connection rather than SMS/MMS.
Facebook Messenger – Facebook’s messaging app also enables cross-platform voice messaging between iOS and Android devices for free over an internet connection.
Viber – On Viber, users can exchange instant voice messages in chats on iOS and Android.

Telegram – Telegram offers a seamless voice messaging experience between its iPhone and Android apps.
Signal – Signal allows high quality voice messages to be sent between the iOS and Android versions using end-to-end encryption.

While MMS is one option for iPhone to Android voice messaging, these apps provide specialized cross-platform support and a more integrated experience designed specifically for exchanging voice notes.

Summary

To summarize the main steps for sending a voice message from an iPhone to an Android:

On the iPhone, go to Settings > Messages and enable MMS messaging.
Open the Messages app, select a contact, and tap the microphone icon to record a voice message.
When finished, tap send. The message will be sent as an MMS.

On the Android device, open the Messages app when you receive the notification of a new MMS.
Tap to open the message, then tap the play button to listen to the voice message.
If desired, tap and hold on the voice message file to save it locally on your Android device.

Sending voice messages between iPhone and Android requires having MMS enabled on both devices. The voice quality may not be as high as an audio file, but it provides a quick and easy way to exchange short voice notes.