WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion users. One of WhatsApp’s key features is voice messaging, which allows users to send short audio clips to each other as messages. This has led some users to wonder – is there a built-in voice recorder on WhatsApp, or do you need to use a third party app to record audio clips?
Using WhatsApp’s Voice Messaging Feature
WhatsApp does have a voice messaging feature built into the app, which can be used to record and send short audio messages. To use it:
- Open a chat in WhatsApp
- Tap and hold the microphone icon
- Start speaking to record your message
- Release your finger when finished to send it
This is the easiest way to quickly record and send short voice messages up to a few minutes long on WhatsApp. It doesn’t require any extra apps.
Recording Longer Voice Messages
The voice messaging feature in WhatsApp is optimized for short messages, not longer recordings. Messages are limited to a few minutes, and the recording will stop if you reach the limit.
There is no built-in voice recorder for making longer recordings directly in WhatsApp. However, there are a couple of workarounds:
- Use your phone’s built-in voice recorder app to record, then attach the file to send in WhatsApp.
- Install a third party voice recording app that integrates with WhatsApp.
This allows you to record voice messages of any length, then seamlessly send them through WhatsApp without having to switch between apps.
Using Your Phone’s Voice Recorder
Most smartphones come with a pre-installed voice recorder app. Here’s how to use it with WhatsApp:
- Open your phone’s Voice Recorder app and start recording your message.
- When finished, tap Stop and save the recording.
- Open WhatsApp, go to the chat, and attach the voice file.
- Tap Send to deliver the voice message.
The advantage of using your phone’s built-in voice recorder is that it’s readily available on most devices. However, it involves a few extra steps compared to WhatsApp’s integrated voice messaging.
Using Third Party Recording Apps
Another option is to use a third party app from your device’s app store specifically designed for WhatsApp voice recording. Some popular options include:
- WRecorder: Android app that provides unlimited recording time and one-tap sharing to WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp Voice Changer: Android/iOS app with voice effects and integration with WhatsApp.
- AutoForward for WhatsApp: iOS app with voice recorder and auto-forwarding to WhatsApp contacts.
The advantage of these apps is that they fully integrate with WhatsApp, making it easy to record and share long voice messages. However, you need to install additional software.
Using WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp Web, the web browser version, does not currently have a built-in voice messaging feature like the mobile app. However, there are a couple of workarounds:
- Record audio on your computer using a program like Audacity, save it as an MP3 file, then attach and send in WhatsApp Web.
- Use the “mirroring” feature to sync WhatsApp Web to your phone’s app, then use your phone to record and send voice messages.
While a bit more complex, this allows you to record longer voice messages on your computer to send via WhatsApp Web.
Using WhatsApp Business API
WhatsApp also offers a Business API platform that businesses can use to integrate WhatsApp messaging into their customer service platforms. The WhatsApp Business API does allow programmatically sending voice messages to users:
- Record audio files on your server using a library like FFmpeg.
- Upload the audio to an HTTP or HTTPS URL.
- Send the voice message via the Business API using the audio URL.
This requires technical knowledge and coding skills to implement, but does enable recording and sending voice messages beyond the normal WhatsApp limitations.
Third Party WhatsApp Voice Recorder Apps
There are a variety of third party apps in app stores that advertise WhatsApp voice recording features and capabilities beyond what’s built into WhatsApp. Some examples include:
- WO Mic: Android app that promotes unlimited recording time and one-tap sharing.
- Mic for Whatsapp: iOS app with options to change recording source and share to WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp Audio Sender: Android app specifically focused on long recordings for WhatsApp.
The capabilities of these apps vary. Most offer unlimited recording length and integration with WhatsApp to easily share. Some also promote additional features like choosing audio sources and adding effects. They can provide more flexibility than WhatsApp’s own tools.
Pros of Third Party Recording Apps
- Typically no limits on recording length.
- Extra features like audio effects or mixing capabilities.
- Designed specifically for WhatsApp use.
- One-tap sharing to send recordings.
Cons of Third Party Recording Apps
- Must install new apps with additional permissions.
- Features and reliability can vary across apps.
- Recording and sharing may not be as seamless.
- May contain ads or paid tiers.
WhatsApp Voice Message Size Limit
WhatsApp does limit the size of audio clips and voice messages that can be sent on its platform. As of 2023, here are the WhatsApp voice message size limits:
- WhatsApp mobile app: 16MB file size limit
- WhatsApp Web/Desktop: 64MB file size limit
- WhatsApp Business API: 100MB file size limit
Trying to send a voice message over these sizes will result in an error. To send longer recordings, they need to be broken up into smaller parts before sending.
For reference, here are some approximate recording lengths for different file sizes:
| File size | Recording length |
| 16MB | 60 minutes (WhatsApp mobile limit) |
| 64MB | 240 minutes (WhatsApp Web limit) |
| 100MB | 360 minutes (WhatsApp Business API limit) |
Note these lengths are approximations and depend on audio quality, codec, and compression used in the recording.
Voice Message Security
One concern with voice messaging is security, as audio files sent through chat apps like WhatsApp are not end-to-end encrypted like text chats. This means there is some risk of voice messages being intercepted by hackers, governments, or even WhatsApp itself.
Some measures users can take to increase voice message security include:
- Enabling end-to-end encrypted backups.
- Using recipient-specific expiration settings.
- Avoiding sensitive personal information in recordings.
- Deleting messages after they are heard.
However, there is no way currently to fully end-to-end encrypt voice messages sent through WhatsApp’s platform itself.
Conclusion
To summarize:
- WhatsApp has a built-in voice messaging feature, but limited to short recordings.
- Phone voice recorders or third party apps allow longer recordings.
- Maximum voice message size is 16MB on mobile, 64MB on Web, 100MB for Business API.
- Security of voice messages is limited compared to end-to-end encrypted chats.
While not as secure or featured as dedicated voice messaging apps, WhatsApp does provide basic voice recording capabilities to quickly send short audio clips. With the proper tools and apps, longer high-quality recordings can also be shared on WhatsApp as required.