NEW DELHI: Meta-owned WhatsApp has introduced a new feature called voice message transcripts and voice messages can now be transcribed into text, “to help you keep up with conversations no matter what you’re doing”.
Transcripts are rolling out globally over the coming weeks with a few select languages to start, and the company plans to add more languages over the coming months.
In a blog post, WhatsApp said that sending a voice message makes connecting with friends and family even more personal.
“There’s something special about hearing your loved one’s voice even when you’re far away. Though sometimes, you’re on the move, in a loud place, or you receive a long voice message that you just can’t stop and listen, ” the social media company added.
For those moments, “we’re excited to introduce voice message transcripts”. Transcripts are generated on your device so that no one else, not even WhatsApp, can hear or read your personal messages.
To start using this feature, go to Settings, Chats and then Voice message transcripts to easily turn transcriptions on or off and select your transcript language.
“You can transcribe a voice message by long pressing on the message and tapping on ‘transcribe’. We’re excited to build on this experience and make it even better and more seamless, ” said WhatsApp.
The Meta-owned company recently introduced the Message Drafts feature which addresses a common issue — forgetting to send an unfinished message.
When you start typing but don’t hit “send, ” WhatsApp now marks the chat with a clear “Draft” label and moves it to the top of your chat list. This ensures you can quickly locate and complete your messages without scrolling through multiple conversations, said the company.