Send a voice message from WhatsApp or Telegram to VocaLingo
Touch and hold the voice message, tap Share and pick Translate Audio in VocaLingo. This works in the iOS and Android apps, but not on the web.
Updated November 2, 20264 min read
You don't need to save a voice message as a file first. The phone's share menu sends it straight to VocaLingo, and the translation starts by itself.
Before you start
Sharing works only in the VocaLingo app on iOS and Android, installed on the same phone as the messenger.
Open VocaLingo at least once and get past the sign-in screen, with an account or as a guest. Until then the app ignores anything you share to it.
On the web (web.vocalingo.app) there is no share menu. See On the web and on a computer below.
How to send a voice message
The steps are the same in every messenger: open the message's menu, find the option that opens the phone's share menu, and choose VocaLingo.
Open the chat and touch and hold the voice message.
Tap Share or the share icon. In some messengers you tap Forward first and then the share icon (see the table below).
In the share menu, choose Translate Audio in VocaLingo.
VocaLingo opens Translate Audio. Recognition and translation start on their own, there is no Translate button.
What happens next, and how to listen to the translation, is described in How Translate Audio works.
Which VocaLingo item to choose
VocaLingo adds several items to the share menu. For a voice message you need Translate Audio in VocaLingo: it opens the translation right away.
| Item in the share menu | What it opens |
|---|---|
| Translate Audio in VocaLingo | Translate Audio with your file, translation starts by itself |
| VocaLingo | the Tools tab with the Recommended filter: Audio Translation, Text Transcription, Text Analysis and Voice Changer |
| Audio Summary in VocaLingo | a short summary of the recording |
| Change Voice in VocaLingo | Voice Changer |
| Ask VocaLingo | the AI chat |
On iPhone, the VocaLingo icon is in the row of apps, and the items like Translate Audio in VocaLingo are in the list of actions below it. On Android, each item is shown as a separate target with the VocaLingo icon.
Where the share option is in popular messengers
Menu names depend on the messenger version. You need the option that opens the phone's share menu with app icons. Forwarding to another chat inside the messenger doesn't reach VocaLingo.
| Messenger | iPhone | Android |
|---|---|---|
| touch and hold the message, tap Forward, then the share icon in the bottom right corner | touch and hold the message, tap the share icon at the top (or ⋮, then Share) | |
| Telegram | touch and hold the message and look for Share or the share icon | touch and hold the message, then Share in the menu |
| Viber | touch and hold the message, then Share or Forward and the share icon | touch and hold the message, then the share icon |
| iMessage | touch and hold the audio message and look for the share icon | not available |
| Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct | often only forwarding to other chats, no share option | often only forwarding to other chats, no share option |
If a messenger has no share option for voice messages, play the message on another device and record it in Translate Audio with Record audio.
Several voice messages at once
If you select two or more voice messages and share them together, VocaLingo offers to combine them: «We'll combine them into one recording». Tap Continue, and they are translated as one recording. Together they must fit into 100 MB, otherwise you see «Together these recordings are too long. The limit is 100 MB.»
Video messages and round videos
A video message is shared as a video, so Translate Audio in VocaLingo isn't offered for it. Choose the general VocaLingo item: it suggests Video Translation, Add Captions, Video to Text and Voice Changer. If you only need the speech translated, save the video and open it in Audio Translation with Choose: it takes the sound from the video.
On the web and on a computer
web.vocalingo.app can't receive files from messengers. Save the voice message on your computer (in WhatsApp Web and Telegram Desktop the message menu has a download or save option), then open Audio Translation and tap Choose. The file must be up to 100 MB. Differences between versions are listed in VocaLingo on web, iOS and Android.
If VocaLingo doesn't open
VocaLingo isn't in the share menu: scroll the row of apps to the end and tap More, or scroll the list of actions down. On iPhone you can add an action with Edit Actions at the bottom of the list.
VocaLingo opens, but nothing happens: open the app normally, sign in or continue as a guest, and share the message again.
You see «This content doesn't match the selected action. Choose a tool.»: the item you picked doesn't take this type of file, for example a video was shared to Translate Audio in VocaLingo. Choose a tool from the list on the screen.
Frequently asked questions
Will the other person see that I translated their message?
No. Sharing makes a copy of the file for VocaLingo, and nothing is sent back to the chat.
Can VocaLingo translate a WhatsApp or Telegram call?
No, only recordings and voice messages. See Can VocaLingo translate a phone or WhatsApp call.
Contact support
Describe the problem and we will reply by email. Add the file name or job ID if you have one.