Voice Memo App on iPhone: How to Make Full Use of It

You can use the Voice Memo app on an iPhone to easily record thoughts, ideas, or speech at work or school. It’s easy to capture moments of inspiration when they strike. Then you can access them later when you have time to process and use the voice recording. Read on to learn how to get the most out of your iPhone’s Voice Memo app.

How to Record a Voice Memo

Let’s start by recording a voice memo:

Step 1: Open the ‘Voice Memos’ app. The latest iPhones will place it in a “Utilities” folder by default.

Step 2: Tap ‘Record’ to start recording.

Step 3: Tap the ‘waveform’ to bring up the full menu. Then tap ‘Pause’ to pause your recording.

Step 4: Press ‘Done’ to stop the recording.

How to Delete a Voice Memo

Once you stop the recording, you will see it as a “New Recording.” To delete it, click the ‘Trashcan’ in the bottom right corner of the memo.

To recover the deleted memo:

Step 1: Tap the ‘<’ at the top left of the screen. Then tap ‘Recently Deleted.’

Step 2: Tap the recording you want to recover. Then tap ‘Recover.’ Tap ‘Recover Recording.’

How to Save Your Voice Memo

Saving your voice memo in the app:

Step 1: Tap on ‘More’ at the top right of your recording. 

Step 2: Scroll down and tap ‘Save to Files.’ Then tap ‘On My iPhone’ and tap ‘Save.’

To save it to your iCloud:

After you tap ‘Save to Files’, tap ‘iCloud Drive.’ Then tap ‘Save.’

How to Edit Your Voice Memo

Apple’s Voice Memo is also a powerful audio editor. Let’s look at different ways you can edit your recording:

Crop:

Step 1: Tap ‘More’ on your recording. Then tap ‘Edit Recording’ and tap ‘Crop.’

Step 2: Move the ‘slider’ to crop out the parts of the audio you don’t want.

Step 3: Tap ‘Trim’ then tap ‘Save.’ Tap ‘Done.’

Replace Sections:

Sometimes you may have made a mistake while recording your memo. If you don’t want to record the whole thing again, you can just replace one part.

Step 1: Click ‘More’ then click ‘Edit Recording’.

Step 2: Drag the ‘waveform’ over to the part you want to re-record.

Step 3: Tap ‘REPLACE’ and the app will start recording starting where the blue line is placed. Quickly press ‘Pause’ when you have said your piece.

Change Speed:

Step 1: Tap ‘Options’.

Step 2: Move the slider closer to the tortoise to slow down the audio. Move it closer to the hare to make it faster.

Automatically Skip Silence:

Tap ‘Options’ then tick ‘Skip Silence.’

Enhance Audio:

Tap ‘Options’ then tick ‘Enhance Recording.’

Rename:

Step 1: Click the title of the recording.

Step 2: Type the name you want to give to the new recording. Then tap ‘Return.’

How to Share a Voice Memo

There are also a variety of ways you can share your recording:

Copy:

Tap ‘More’ then tap ‘Copy.’

Duplicate:

Tap ‘More’ then tap ‘Duplicate.’ It will then create a copy directly below the original.

Share:

Tap ‘More’ then tap ‘Share’. You can share to any of your contacts and many other apps.

How to Transcribe Voice Memos to Text

Apple does not include built-in transcription for voice memos as of this writing. The good news is that you can use a free third-party app such as Notta. If you haven’t already downloaded Notta, go ahead and get it from the App Store before getting started. Let’s how we can accomplish this quickly and easily:

Step 1: Open the Notta app and ‘Log In.’

Step 2: Open the ‘Voice Memos’ app and find the recording you want to transcribe. Tap ‘More’ at the top right of your recording. Then tap ‘Share’.

Step 3: Tap ‘Notta’ then you will see a message that the voice memo is transcribing. 

Step 4: Tap ‘Ok’ then tap on the name of your recording to view your transcript.

FAQ

Why Can't I Find the Voice Memo App on My iPhone?

You might have deleted the app by accident. You can find it on the App Store and search for 'Voice Memos.'

How Long Can a Voice Memo Record?

The app itself can record for an unlimited amount of time. The only limit is the capacity of your iPhone's internal storage. However, your phone will notify you if your storage space is low.

Can I Use the Voice Memo App to Record My Phone Call on iPhone?

The voice memo will stop recording if a phone call starts while you are recording. You can resume it after the call has ended. You will have to use an alternate method to record a phone call on your iPhone. You can also use a 2nd iPhone recording with voice memo while the other phone makes the call on speaker.

Does the Android Device Have a Voice Memo App?

The default voice memo app on an Android device is 'Sound Recorder.' It does not have as many features as the iOS version, but it is a good alternative. You can use it for recording a lecture or meeting, a song from the radio, or your thoughts. 

Is Voice Memo a Free App?

Voice Memo is a free app that comes with all iOS devices. It allows you to record audio and sound, save it to your device, or share it with others. You can download it for free from the App Store if it is not currently on your phone. If you are looking for third-party recording apps, you can find more information from here.

Final Thoughts

You now better understand the Voice Memo app and its benefits. It is easy to get your thoughts down in the simplest form possible. Combined with Notta, it's a potent tool in the palm of your hand.