Turn a WhatsApp voice message into text on Android
Can’t listen right now, or need to find what someone said? Share the voice message to Tencia and read it instead.
The short answer
Share the voice message from WhatsApp to Tencia, then tap “Transcribe”. Tencia adds it to your recordings, and Google’s AI turns it into text. You can read it, search it and keep it on your phone.
- You don’t need Tencia Helper, the companion app for recording calls. Tencia from Google Play is enough.
- Adding a file sends nothing. The audio goes to the server only when you tap “Transcribe”.
- Google’s AI (Gemini) turns it into text. The audio is deleted right after and isn’t used to train AI.
- Only add voice messages you received or recorded yourself.
This feature opens on November 8, 2026, at 00:00 Korea time. It isn’t available before that, and it works only in some countries.
How to do it
- Install TenciaGet Tencia from Google Play and open it once, on or after November 8, 2026. If you already have it, update it and open it. Tencia joins your phone’s share list after that.
- Share the voice messageIn WhatsApp, press and hold the voice message, then look for “Share”. WhatsApp’s menus change between versions, so it may be behind the three dots. In the list of apps, choose “Transcribe with Tencia”.
- Add it to your recordingsThe first time, Tencia shows a short note. Outside Korea you also tick a consent box. Tap “Add to recordings”. Nothing is sent at this point.
- Tap “Transcribe”The voice file opens in Tencia. Tap “Transcribe”, and the text appears there when it’s ready. You also get a summary and any to-dos.
Can’t find “Share”? “Forward” only sends the message to another chat, so it won’t reach Tencia. The next section says which folder WhatsApp keeps the file in.
You can also pick the file inside Tencia. If you don’t use Tencia Helper, the home screen offers “Pick a file” until you’ve added your first one or closed the tip.
About WhatsApp voice messages
Where the file is. On the Android phone we checked, WhatsApp keeps voice messages in Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Voice Notes, as .opus files inside subfolders. If “Share” doesn’t show up in WhatsApp, some files apps can open that folder, and sharing from there works the same way. The folder can differ by phone and WhatsApp version.
What Tencia does with it. The server doesn’t take .opus files, so Tencia makes an m4a copy on your phone before adding it to your list. Your WhatsApp message and the original file stay as they are.
What Tencia can’t see. Tencia gets only the one file you share. For this, it doesn’t read your chats, phone numbers or contacts, and it doesn’t use the file name. That’s why your list says “Voice file”, not the sender’s name.
What the text is like. It doesn’t label who said what. It comes out in the language spoken and isn’t translated. AI can mishear names and numbers, so listen again when they matter.
Got a voice message from another app, or a recording on your phone? This guide covers those. If you want to record WhatsApp calls, that’s a different guide, and it does need Tencia Helper.
Where it works
AI features are offered only in some countries, including India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico and Spain. In other countries, neither the share option nor the “Transcribe” button shows up in the app.
To check, update Tencia and open it on or after November 8, 2026, then share a voice file from another app. If “Transcribe with Tencia” is in the list, it works where you are. Tencia goes by your Google Play country first.
What happens to the audio
Other people’s voices. A voice message holds the voice of whoever is in it, and that voice goes to the server too when you transcribe. Only add voice messages you received or recorded yourself. If the law where you live requires the other person’s consent or notice, take care of that yourself before you transcribe.
When it leaves your phone. Only when you tap “Transcribe”, and only that one file. Auto transcribe doesn’t apply to voice files. Outside Korea, Tencia asks for your consent first.
Who processes it. Google’s AI (Gemini) turns the audio into text on Google Cloud in Singapore. A speech model we run ourselves works on the same audio to line up the times, and takes over if Gemini can’t answer.
How long it stays. The audio is deleted right after transcription, within a day at most. The text on the server is deleted as soon as the app collects it, and after 24 hours even if it doesn’t. One exception: if Google’s automated checks flag a request as possible abuse, Google may keep that request in Singapore for up to 90 days to review it, and authorized Google employees may look at it.
Not used to train AI. Neither Tencia nor Google uses your voice files to train AI.
On your phone. Tencia keeps a copy in its own storage and shows it as “Voice file” in your recordings. The original file isn’t changed or deleted, and the file name isn’t used or stored. If you connected a Backup folder, Google Drive or a NAS, the copy goes there too, like other recordings. The privacy policy has the details.
What it costs
Everyone gets 30 minutes of transcription and 30 summaries free every month. For 30 days from your first transcription, that goes up to 300 minutes and 100 summaries. Neither needs payment details, and nothing is charged automatically when they end. The terms have the exact dates.
A voice message under a minute counts as one minute. If you want more, Tencia Plus gives you 300 minutes and 200 summaries a month. When the server is busy, a free request can wait until later, and the app tells you.
Common questions
When can I start using it?
It opens on November 8, 2026, at 00:00 Korea time. Before that, Tencia doesn’t show up when you share a file. If you install it earlier, update it and open it again on or after that date.
Tencia isn’t in the list when I share. Why?
Check four things. The date: it opens on November 8, 2026. The country: it works only in some countries. The app: update Tencia and open it once. The button: if you turned on “Hide the Transcribe button” in Tencia’s settings, it doesn’t show up in the list either.
Doesn’t WhatsApp do this itself?
WhatsApp has its own voice message transcripts, which you turn on in its chat settings, for the languages it supports. They’re made on your phone. If that’s all you need, try it first. Tencia’s transcription runs on a server. It also gives you a summary and to-dos, and keeps the text with your other recordings, and in your backup if you connect one.
What about a voice message someone forwarded to me?
A forwarded message can hold the voice of someone who never spoke to you. Leave those out. Only add voice messages sent to you directly, or ones you recorded yourself.
How long can a voice message be?
Up to 4 hours and 512 MB, one file at a time. If you share the same file again, Tencia opens the one that’s already in your list.
Does it work on iPhone?
No. Tencia is an Android app. It runs on Android 8.0 and later.
Where to get it
Get Tencia from Google Play. To turn voice files into text, that’s all you need.
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WhatsApp, Telegram, KakaoTalk and Zalo are trademarks of their owners. Tencia isn’t affiliated with them. Google, Google Play, Google Cloud and Gemini are trademarks of Google LLC.