If WhatsApp does not offer your language for voice message transcripts, there is no setting that adds it. On Android, WhatsApp transcribes only English, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian (its help page, checked September 25, 2026). On iPhone the list is longer and depends on the iOS version. For a voice message in any other language on Android, you need a different tool: save the voice note as an audio file and let a voice to text app transcribe it.
Is my language supported? A lookup table
The table combines the language lists on WhatsApp's Android and iPhone help pages, as of September 25, 2026. "Not listed" means the language does not appear on that page.
| Language | Android | iPhone, iOS 16 or newer | iPhone, iOS 17 or newer |
|---|---|---|---|
| English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| German, French, Italian | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Arabic, Turkish | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Chinese, Japanese, Korean | Not listed | Yes | Yes |
| Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Hebrew, Malay, Thai | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Hindi, Polish, Indonesian, Filipino, Ukrainian, Vietnamese | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
WhatsApp's help pages do not list regional variants (for example Brazilian or European Portuguese) separately. WhatsApp also notes that transcripts may be inaccurate.
How to change the transcription language
WhatsApp asks for one language: the one "most of the voice messages you receive are in". To change it:
On Android
- Tap more options (three dots) > Settings > Chats.
- Tap Transcript language.
- Pick one of the offered languages.
On iPhone
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats.
- Tap Transcript language and choose the language.
If you have not set up transcripts yet, turn on Voice Message Transcripts under Settings > Chats first, tap Choose language, and then Set up now or Wait for Wi-Fi (Android) or Change to your language (iPhone). WhatsApp notes that turning transcripts off resets your transcript language settings.
Transcript not showing? Check these points
- Transcripts are off. They are disabled by default. Turn them on under Settings > Chats > Voice Message Transcripts.
- Setup is waiting for Wi-Fi. If you chose Wait for Wi-Fi during setup on Android, connect to Wi-Fi so it can finish.
- You are looking in the wrong place. On Android, tap and hold the voice message, then more options (three dots) > Transcribe. On iPhone, tap and hold, then Transcribe.
- It needs a moment. WhatsApp says the transcript "might take a moment to become available".
- iPhone requirements. WhatsApp says you need iOS 16 or newer and Siri must be enabled. If Siri was off when you turned on transcripts, you need to download the selected language.
- It is your own message. Transcripts are for the recipient; WhatsApp says the sender cannot see them.
- The message is in another language than the one you set. WhatsApp works with the one language you chose. If a friend sends messages in a language that is not on your platform's list, no setting helps.
Samsung and other Android phones
Samsung Galaxy, Xiaomi, Motorola and Pixel phones all run WhatsApp for Android, so the Android list applies to all of them. Samsung's own Galaxy AI transcription in the Voice Recorder app supports more languages, but it works on recordings made in that app, not on WhatsApp voice messages. Our guide on transcribing a voice memo on Android covers it.
When your language is not supported: use the audio file
A voice to text app works with the audio file itself, so WhatsApp's language list does not matter. Retexta, a cloud voice to text and AI writing app for Android, detects the spoken language automatically (you do not pick it) and writes results in 50+ languages. All languages in the table above, including those WhatsApp does not list for Android, are in Retexta's language list.
The short version:
- In WhatsApp, tap and hold the voice message, tap Share and save it to your files or cloud drive. Retexta does not appear in WhatsApp's share menu, so saving comes first.
- In Retexta, tap New task and pick a goal: Transcript only or Translate (both under More templates), or Reply to a message on the start screen.
- Tap Import audio and pick the saved voice message.
The step-by-step version with an example is in our guide on how to convert a WhatsApp voice message to text. To get only the key points of a long message, see how to summarize a voice message.
Import audio and every goal except Transcript only are part of Retexta Pro. Retexta is free to try: new users get a few free Pro results to view in the app, but copying, sharing and exporting results need Retexta Pro or credits, and so does everything after the free results.
The sender's voice goes to a server
WhatsApp's own transcripts are generated on your device. Retexta processes the audio on its servers. A voice message was recorded by someone else, so think about whether they would be fine with that before you upload it.
Sources
Checked by FLAME Apps on September 25, 2026. Extracts of the help pages are kept in our research folder.
- WhatsApp Help Center, How to turn voice message transcripts on or off, Android and iPhone versions: supported languages per platform, setup steps, changing the transcript language, reset on turning off, iOS and Siri requirement, "might take a moment", accuracy note, sender cannot see transcripts, on-device generation.
- WhatsApp Blog, Introducing Voice Message Transcripts, November 21, 2024: "we plan to add more over the coming months".
- Retexta app code (Android, version 2026.1.23): no share target (
AndroidManifest.xml), automatic language detection and language list (RecordScreen.kt,TranscriptionLanguageCatalog.kt), Retexta Pro gates (GoalFirstTaskHub.kt,SessionDetailScreen.kt).
