Apple has added a long-welcomed overhaul of the voice messages feature in Messages with iOS 16, adding the ability to record messages hands-free without having to keep a finger pressed on the screen during the duration of the recording.
With iOS 16, Apple has relocated the audio messages function in the Messages app, giving the feature its own dedicated iMessage app in the Messages app dock. The app has a blue icon with a waveform symbol, as shown below, and is no longer shown next to the text field where a user types their message.
A microphone symbol is still shown in the iMessage text field where the audio messages symbol was previously located, but this button now is for iOS 16’s dictation tool, which types messages after listening to a user speak and changing the spoken words into typed text.
How to send a voice message using iOS 16
- Open the Messages app and select the Audio Messages app from the iMessage app dock
- Tap the on-screen microphone shown in red to begin recording your voice message hands-free
- When you have finished speaking, press the square shown on-screen to end the recording
- Either tap the grey Play button to listen back to your recorded voice message or tap the blue Send button
Additionally, users can keep their fingers held on the red microphone to record short voice messages. As soon as the user releases their finger from the microphone, the voice message will send automatically without the option to listen back prior to sending.
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