Can you save WhatsApp voice messages on Android?
WhatsApp is one of the world’s most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users globally. In recent years, voice messages have become an increasingly popular way for WhatsApp users to communicate. According to TechCrunch, 7 billion WhatsApp voice messages are sent daily. Many users find voice messages more convenient and expressive than typing text.
While voice messages have advantages, saving them on Android devices is not as straightforward as saving text chats. So how exactly can Android users save important WhatsApp voice messages they want to keep?
Why Save Voice Messages?
There are many reasons why people may want to save voice messages from WhatsApp. As noted in this article, saving voicemails can provide comfort and nostalgia, allowing people to replay meaningful messages from loved ones even after they are gone. The same can apply to saving WhatsApp voice messages to memorialize conversations and hear the voices of those you care about.
Other key reasons to save WhatsApp voice messages, according to this analysis, include sharing the messages outside of WhatsApp, keeping records of important information conveyed, and appreciating vocal nuance like tone and mood that get lost in text. People may want to save special voice messages to reminisce over down the road. Saving them allows for replay anytime, unlike ephemeral live speech.
Challenges of Saving Voice Messages on Android
Unlike on iPhone, WhatsApp does not have a built-in way to save voice messages on Android. This is because voice messages on Android are automatically saved in an encrypted database that is not directly accessible to users. While the audio files do get stored on your device, WhatsApp does not provide a feature to export or save them externally.
According to digitalguide.ionos.com, “WhatsApp voice messages are automatically saved. To check, go to “Internal Storage” in your file manager. However, you can’t directly access or play them without WhatsApp.”
This means if you want to save a WhatsApp voice message on your Android device, you need to rely on third-party apps or workarounds to extract the audio file. Simply long pressing or forwarding a voice message will not allow you to directly save it.
Using Third-Party Apps
A popular option for saving WhatsApp audio messages on Android is to use third-party apps designed for this purpose. Apps like Voice Message Saver allow you to easily download, extract and save the audio from WhatsApp messages.
Voice Message Saver works by accessing your WhatsApp notifications and extracting the audio file so you can save it directly to your device storage. The app doesn’t require root access and is free to download on the Play Store. Once installed, it runs in the background and saves any new WhatsApp audio messages automatically.
Other apps like WA Tweaks and WAMR also offer the ability to save WhatsApp audio messages. The main advantage of using a dedicated third-party app is that it streamlines the process and saves the audio files in mp3 format for easy sharing and playback later.
Just be aware that giving an app access to your WhatsApp notifications means it can view message content. So only use reputable apps you trust to avoid privacy issues. But overall, a specialized app provides the simplest way to download and save WhatsApp voice messages on an Android device.
Extracting from Notification
One of the quickest ways to save a WhatsApp voice message on Android is by extracting it directly from the notification panel when you receive it. This takes advantage of the notification access permission in Android. Here’s how to enable it:
Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Special app access > Notification access. Then enable notification access for the Files app.
Now when you receive a new WhatsApp voice message, open the notification panel and long press on the notification. Select the option to view the notification details. In the next screen, look for the voice message file and tap on the download icon next to it to save the file directly to your device storage.
This convenient method allows you to quickly save any new WhatsApp audio without having to go into the chat. As long as you enable notification access, the voice message can be extracted and downloaded from the notification itself.
Using File Explorer
One way to save WhatsApp voice messages on Android is by accessing the WhatsApp media folder using your device’s file explorer app. Here are the steps:
1. Open the File Manager or Files app on your Android device. This is usually pre-installed or can be downloaded from the Google Play Store.
2. Navigate to the WhatsApp media folder location. On Android 8.1 and lower, this is usually in Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Media. On Android 9 and above, it is in Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Media. [1]
3. Open the Voice Notes folder inside the WhatsApp > Media folder. This contains all your saved WhatsApp audio files.
4. Long press on the voice message file you want to save. Select the option to Copy to another folder on your device.
5. Now open the destination folder where you want to save the voice message, for example Music. Paste the file here by long pressing and selecting Paste.
The voice message is now saved in the new location on your device outside of WhatsApp. You can play it directly from your device’s music player.
Transferring Voice Messages to Your Computer
One way to save WhatsApp voice messages from your Android phone is by transferring the audio files directly to your computer. Here are the steps:
First, connect your Android phone to your computer using a USB cable. Make sure USB file transfer is enabled on your device. Open the file manager or explorer on your computer and look for your phone’s storage. Navigate to the WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Audio folder to find all your voice message files.
Select the voice note files you want to save and copy or move them over to a folder on your computer. You can now access the WhatsApp audio files on your computer and don’t have to rely on your phone to listen back anytime.[1]
This method gives you full access and control over the voice messages. You can back them up on your computer, add them to your music library, or convert the files as needed. Just remember to keep your phone connected to your computer when transferring the audio files.
Emailing Voice Messages
One convenient way to save WhatsApp voice messages from your Android device is by emailing them directly through the app. WhatsApp has a built-in option to forward voice memos via email right from your chat.
To use this feature, open the WhatsApp chat containing the voice message you want to save. Tap and hold on the voice memo to open the context menu. Select “Forward” from the menu. This will let you forward the voice message like any other WhatsApp message.
In the forwarding screen, tap the email icon in the top right. A new email composition window will open with the voice memo automatically attached. Enter the desired recipient’s email address and add any text you want to include. Finally, tap send and the voice message will be emailed as an MP3 file attachment.
The main benefit of emailing WhatsApp voice memos is being able to easily download and save the MP3 file to your computer or cloud storage. The attachment can also be forwarded to other email recipients. So if you ever need to share a voice message beyond WhatsApp, emailing it is a handy option.
Using Google Drive Backup
One way to save your WhatsApp voice messages and media is to back up your chats to Google Drive. WhatsApp gives you the option to automatically back up your chats, media, and messages to Google Drive on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
The main advantage of using Google Drive backup is that it saves all your WhatsApp media, including voice messages, photos, and videos. So whenever you need to restore your backup on a new device, you’ll have access to the entire message history along with all associated media.
To enable Google Drive backups in WhatsApp, open the app and go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Then select “Backup to Google Drive” and choose a backup frequency. WhatsApp will upload your chat data on the schedule you set. You can also manually back up anytime by tapping “Back Up Now.”
If you ever need to restore your backup, simply reinstall WhatsApp on your device and select “Restore” when prompted. WhatsApp will fetch the latest backup from Google Drive and restore your chats.
One caveat is that your Google Drive storage quota may limit how much WhatsApp data you can back up. But for most users, it provides a simple way to comprehensively save WhatsApp media and messages. (Google Drive Help).
Conclusion
There are several methods Android users can utilize to save important WhatsApp voice messages, from using third-party apps to transferring files directly to a computer. While Android does not natively allow saving voice messages like iOS does, with a bit of effort, you can preserve special audio recordings, memos, or conversations.
The most convenient options involve backing up your messages to Google Drive or exporting voice notes through your file manager. For frequent saving, dedicated apps like WA Tweaks or WVault provide automated tools. Or you can simply email messages to yourself for storage.
Ultimately, with all these techniques, Android users should not have to lose meaningful voice messages that contain memories or information they want to keep. Take the time to set up a reliable system that works for your needs, so you can save and cherish special voice notes, just like your friends on iPhone can.