When we first launched voice messaging on WhatsApp in 2013, we knew that it could change the way people communicate. By keeping the design simple, we’ve made recording and sending a voice message as quick and easy as writing a text. On WhatsApp, 7 billion voice messages are sent daily on average, all of which are protected by end-to-end encryption to keep them private and secure at all times.
Today, we’re announcing new features that make the voice message experience on WhatsApp even better. These include:
- Out of Chat Playback: Listen to a voice message outside of the chat so you can multitask or read and respond to other messages.
- Pause/Resume Recording: When recording a voice message, you can now pause the recording and resume when ready, in case you’re interrupted or need to gather your thoughts.
- Waveform Visualization: Shows a visual representation of the sound on the voice message to help follow the recording.
- Draft Preview: Listen to your voice messages before sending them.
- Remember Playback: If you pause when listening to a voice message, you can pick up where you left off when you return to the chat.
- Fast Playback on Forwarded Messages: Play voice messages at 1.5x or 2x speeds to listen to messages faster on both regular and forwarded messages.
Voice messages have made it quick and easy for people to have more expressive conversations. Showing emotion or excitement through voice is more natural than text, and in many situations, voice messages are the preferred form of communication on WhatsApp. It’s simple for anyone to use — for your family members who prefer to avoid typing, for your friends who love to tell stories, for your peers who need encouraging words, or for when you want to hear your partner’s voice at the end of a long day.
These new features will roll out in the coming weeks.