How to Send a Voice Message by Text
“Voice text” usually means one of two different things: recording and sending an audio message inside a text conversation, or dictating a regular text with your voice. This guide covers both, plus what actually happens on the network when audio rides along with SMS.
Quick answer
The fastest path depends on which phone you and the recipient are using:
iPhone (Messages)
Tap the plus button next to the text field, or tap and hold the audio wave icon on the right side of the field. Record your message, then tap the up arrow to send.
Android (Google Messages)
Tap the plus icon, choose the microphone or Voice option, then press and hold to record. Release to preview, then tap send.
Different platform, or file too large
If the recipient is on a different platform or the recording won't send as an attachment, record or upload it online and text a link instead.
How to send a voice text on iPhone
iPhone's Messages app has a built-in audio recorder that attaches to any conversation, whether it's an iMessage (blue bubble) or a regular text (green bubble).
- 1
Open the conversation
Launch Messages and open the thread you want to send audio in.
- 2
Tap the plus button, or the audio wave icon
Depending on your iOS version, you'll either tap the plus (+) button and choose Audio, or tap and hold the audio wave icon that sits to the right of the text field.
- 3
Record your message
Speak while the recorder is active. Tap the waveform or stop icon when you're done, or lift your finger if you're using press-and-hold.
- 4
Preview, then send
Tap play to check it, then tap the up arrow to send. You can also tap the X to discard and re-record.
Two things worth knowing about how this behaves under the hood. First, when you text an audio message to another iPhone on iMessage, it sends as an iMessage audio bubble; text an Android number, and it becomes a regular MMS attachment instead, since SMS/MMS has no concept of an iMessage bubble. Second, Apple's audio messages are set to expire two minutes after being listened to by default, unless you tap “Keep” before they disappear; you can also change this in Settings > Messages > Expire, under Audio Messages. The exact menu wording has shifted a little across iOS versions, so check your own Settings app if it looks different. For the full walkthrough, including Raise to Listen and troubleshooting, see our guide to sending a voice message on iPhone.
Send a voice message — free, no signup
Record a voice message in your browser and share it with a link. Password protection, auto-delete, and no account required.
Record a voice messageHow to send a voice text on Android
On most Android phones, Google Messages is the default texting app, and it records and sends voice messages over RCS (Rich Communication Services) when it's available, falling back to MMS when it isn't.
- 1
Open a conversation
Launch Google Messages and open the thread with the person you're texting.
- 2
Tap the plus icon
Tap the plus (+) button next to the text field, then choose the microphone or Voice option, or look for the microphone icon directly on the text field.
- 3
Press and hold to record
Hold the microphone icon while you speak. Many phones let you slide up to lock the recording hands-free instead of holding the whole time.
- 4
Release and send
Let go to stop recording, preview it if you want, then tap send.
If the recipient (or you) don't have RCS Chat features turned on, Google Messages falls back to sending the recording as an MMS attachment, which typically has a stricter file-size cap than RCS. Samsung phones running Samsung Messages instead of Google Messages have a similar plus-button-to-microphone flow, though the exact icons and menu labels vary by One UI version. For the complete guide, including cross-platform tips, see how to send a voice message on Android.
How to send a voice recording in a text message
If you already have a recording, say, from Voice Memos on iPhone or Recorder on Android, you don't need to re-record it inside Messages. Share the file directly instead.
- 1
Open the recording
Open Voice Memos (iPhone) or Recorder (Android) and select the recording you want to send.
- 2
Tap Share
Look for the share icon, usually an arrow out of a box or three dots that reveal a Share option.
- 3
Choose Messages
Pick Messages (or Google Messages) from the share sheet. The audio file, typically in m4a or mp3 format, attaches to a new or existing conversation.
- 4
Pick a recipient and send
Add the contact if it isn't pre-filled, then send like any other text.
The catch is size. MMS attachments are capped by your carrier, and on many US carriers that cap sits around 1 MB, which isn't much for audio. RCS is more generous, sometimes allowing files up to roughly 100 MB depending on the carrier and both phones' settings, but limits vary enough that a file which sends fine on one network can fail or get silently compressed on another. If your recording is more than a minute or two, or the send fails with a size error, a link (covered below) sidesteps the limit entirely.
“Voice text” as dictation: how to send a text by voice
Some people searching for “voice text” actually mean the opposite of an audio message: turning your spoken words into a written text, rather than sending the audio itself. This is dictation, and it's a separate feature from the audio-message steps above.
- iPhone: ask Siri: Say "Hey Siri, send a message to [contact]" and speak your message. Siri transcribes it to text and reads it back before sending.
- Android: ask Google Assistant: Say "Hey Google, send a text to [contact]" and dictate your message; Assistant converts it to text.
- Either phone: use the keyboard microphone: Tap the microphone icon on your onscreen keyboard while typing a text, and your words appear as regular text you can edit before sending.
If you actually want the recipient to hear your voice rather than read a transcript, that's an audio message, covered in the sections above, not dictation.
When SMS won't do: send a voice message link
Sometimes texting audio directly doesn't work well: the recipient is on a very different platform, the recording is longer than a quick clip, or a carrier's MMS limit keeps rejecting the attachment. In that case, recording online and texting a link is a reliable fallback.
SendMyVoice's free voice message share tool lets you record straight from your browser, or upload an existing file, and get back a short link. Paste that link into any text message, on either side, and the recipient just taps it to listen in their browser. Neither side needs to install an app or create an account. You can optionally set the link to expire after a set time or protect it with a password, and it works the same way across iPhone, Android, and desktop. It won't transcribe your message or organize it anywhere for you; it's simply a way to get audio to someone when a direct attachment isn't practical.
Send a voice message — free, no signup
Record a voice message in your browser and share it with a link. Password protection, auto-delete, and no account required.
Record a voice messageTroubleshooting
If your voice text isn't behaving, work through these:
Audio message won't send
Check your data or Wi-Fi connection first; voice messages need an active connection to upload, the same as any attachment. If the connection is fine, the file may be too large for your carrier's MMS limit; try a shorter recording or send a link instead.
It sent as a text instead of audio
This usually means the attachment failed to send and the app fell back to plain text (sometimes with a note that a file didn't send), or you dictated the message rather than recording audio. Re-check which option you tapped.
Recipient can't play it
This is often a platform mismatch: an iMessage audio bubble that didn't convert cleanly, or an RCS message the recipient's phone doesn't support. Ask them to check for a "tap to download" prompt, or resend as a link, which plays in any browser regardless of platform.
"Message too large" error
You've hit your carrier's MMS or RCS size cap. Shorten the recording, compress the file if you're sending an existing one, or send a link so the file isn't limited by messaging network caps at all.
No microphone permission
Go to your phone's Settings > Apps > Messages (or Google Messages) > Permissions and make sure microphone access is allowed.
Frequently asked questions
Can you send a voice message through regular SMS?
Not as plain SMS, since SMS only carries text. Sending audio in a text upgrades the message to MMS (or RCS, on supported phones), which can carry an attachment. Your phone does this automatically, but MMS attachments are size-limited, and a large recording may fail to send or get compressed.
Why did my voice text fail to send?
The most common causes are a recording that exceeds your carrier's MMS size limit, a weak or no data connection, microphone permission being disabled for the messaging app, or RCS/Chat features being turned off on Android. Try a shorter recording, check your connection, and confirm the app has microphone access.
How long can a voice text message be?
There's no single universal limit; it depends on your carrier and whether the message goes over MMS or RCS. MMS is often capped around 1 MB on many US carriers, while RCS generally allows much larger files, sometimes up to roughly 100 MB depending on carrier. When in doubt, keep it short or send a link instead.
Can iPhone send voice messages to Android by text?
Yes, but the delivery path depends on both phones. Messaging a green-bubble (non-iMessage) number sends the audio as an MMS attachment instead of an iMessage bubble. If both sides support RCS, it may go over RCS instead. Results can vary by carrier and OS version, so a link is the safest fallback for longer recordings.
Is a voice text the same as a voicemail?
No. A voicemail is left through the phone network when a call isn't answered and is stored on your carrier's voicemail system. A voice text (or audio message) is a recording you send inside a messaging app, delivered as an MMS or RCS attachment, and it shows up directly in the conversation thread.
Or skip the size limits entirely
Record a voice message online and send a link by text instead, works on any phone, no app install, no signup.