How to Forward a Voice Message on WeChat
Voice messages are very easy to send on most chatting platforms, including WeChat. They’re faster to compose and you can explain more in less time that way.
Many platforms also allow their users to forward received voice messages. What about WeChat? Keep reading to find out more about WeChat’s policy on forwarding voice messages.
WeChat and Forwarding Voice Messages
Unlike many other chat platforms, WeChat doesn’t allow its users to forward voice messages. All voice messages sent via the app are strictly private and for the recipient’s ears only. This is a conscious choice by the company that develops WeChat, not a glitch or a bug in the app.
The WeChat team has made this decision in a bid to increase the privacy and safety of its users. Audio messages can often be wrongly interpreted if there’s no context and someone might get confused or offended if they receive an isolated forwarded voice message. The main reason for confusion is that most people tend to send short voice messages in rapid succession.
Another, maybe even bigger concern regarding forwarded voice messages is potential fraud. A malicious user might try to pose as someone else and lure unsuspecting victims and scam them.
These are the main reasons WeChat has decided against voice message forwarding, and by the looks of it, the inclusion of such a feature seems highly unlikely in the future. However, you can still forward voice messages you received on WeChat, but more on that later.
How to Send Voice Messages via WeChat
Before we delve into the ways to share and forward voice messages, let’s see how to send them. Both Android and iOS versions support this function, and it’s pretty easy and intuitive to use. Sending a voice message is identical on both platforms. Here’s how to send one:
- Launch the WeChat app on your iOS or Android device.
- Next, navigate to the Contacts section. The Contacts icon is located in the lower portion of the screen.
- Browse the list of your contacts and tap on the one you’d like to send a voice message to. Alternatively, you can search for them by typing their name in the search bar in the upper section of the screen.
- Select the way you want to contact them. Since you’ll be sending a voice message, tap on the Message option.
- When the conversation window opens, you should tap on the Sound Waves icon in the bottom-left corner.
- The keyboard icon will replace the Sound Waves icon and the Hold to Talk button will appear next to it. Tap and hold the button to record your message.
- Speak your message. Make sure to keep holding the button until you finish speaking. Release the button when you’re done and the message will be sent automatically.
If you change your mind in the middle of the message or you make a mistake, you can cancel the message. Just swipe up with the finger you’ve been holding the record button with and the message will be discarded.
You can also play the sent message if you want to. Just tap on its bubble in the chat window and WeChat will play it.
How to Share Voice Messages
Even though not directly, both Android and iOS users can share voice messages received via WeChat. Let’s take a closer look at how this can be done.
Android
Here’s how Android users can share voice messages.
- Launch your phone’s File Manager.
- Find the Tencent folder (that’s where WeChat is located) and tap on it. Depending on your device, it might be on the system storage partition or the SD card.
- When it opens, you should tap on the MicroMsg folder.
- After that, tap on the folder that has the longest name. The name contains a combination of numbers and letters.
- If you’d like to share all the received voice messages, tap on the voice2 folder and hold it until the pop-up menu appears. If you’d like to share a single message, enter the folder, open the b4 folder inside it, find the message in question, and tap and hold it until the menu appears.
- Next, tap on the Share icon.
- Choose one of the offered sharing options.
iOS
Here’s how iOS users can share their received voice messages:
- Launch WeChat from the Home screen.
- Navigate to the chat that contains the message you’d like to forward.
- Tap the message in question and hold it. A menu should appear.
- Tap the triangle icon.
- Tap the More button.
- Select additional voice messages if you want to.
- When you’re satisfied with your selection, tap the three dots icon in the bottom-right corner.
- Tap on the Email icon.
- Type in your email address and send the message or messages to your email.
- Send the message you want to forward via email.
You’ve Got a Voice Message
Some of WeChat’s policies might be unusual to some users, but their attitude towards forwarding voice messages is quite understandable. However, if you’re willing to spend a minute or two fiddling with your phone, you can easily circumnavigate the forwarding ban.
Have you ever tried to forward a voice message on WeChat? What method did you use? Have we missed an easier and simpler way to do it? Let us know in the comments section below.
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