Translate a voice note: step by step
Have the WhatsApp message ready to play, then follow these steps:
- Open OmniTalk. Choose the language spoken in the message and the language you want to read. For example, choose English to Spanish for an English message you want in Spanish.
- Turn on Translate Any Audio / Video. Use this feature for recordings playing on your phone, rather than starting Live Conversation.
- Look for the floating translation window. This is called Picture in Picture, or PiP. It lets you read the translation while another app is open.
- Open WhatsApp on the same iPhone. Go to the chat and press play on the voice note. Use your phone's speaker, with headphones disconnected.
- Read the translation as the message plays. The words appear in the floating window over the chat. Replay the note if you miss a part.
You do not need a second phone or need to send the recording to another device. Translate Any Audio / Video is a PRO feature; check the app for current pricing. OmniTalk features, checked 6 September 2026.
Use it for other audio and videos
WhatsApp is just one example. You can use the same feature to translate speech from any audio or video source playing on your iPhone, including podcasts, social videos, saved recordings and messages in other apps.
Keep Translate Any Audio / Video running, then open the app you want to listen to. Play the audio through your phone's speaker and read the floating translation. Everything happens on the same phone.
This translates the speech as it plays. It does not change the original recording or replace the speaker's voice. Clear speech is easier to translate than music or several people talking at once.
Translate a written WhatsApp message
A written message needs text translation. Start with the options in the chat:
- Press and hold the message. If you see Translate, tap it and choose your language.
- If there is no Translate option, tap Copy. Open OmniTalk's text translation, paste the message and choose the language you want.
You can also use the iPhone's Translate option wherever it appears when you select text. If that already does the job, you can stay with it. You do not need to open OmniTalk for every short message.
To write a reply, type what you want to say into text translation and translate it into the other person's language. Copy the result into WhatsApp, read it once, then send it.
If the voice-note translation is not working
Start with the problem you can see or hear:
There are no words in the floating window
Check that the voice note is actually playing and you can hear it through the phone's speaker. Disconnect AirPods, other headphones or a Bluetooth speaker, then play the note again.
If there is still no text, return to OmniTalk and check that Translate Any Audio / Video is running. Also check that OmniTalk has permission to use the microphone and speech recognition in iPhone Settings. OmniTalk support, checked 6 September 2026.
The floating window is missing
Go back to OmniTalk and open Translate Any Audio / Video again. Make sure the window appears before returning to WhatsApp. Opening the app alone does not start this feature.
The translation is in the wrong language
Check both language choices in OmniTalk. The first should match the person speaking; the other should be the language you want to read.
Some words are wrong or missing
Move somewhere quieter and set the speaker to a comfortable volume. Very low volume can be hard to hear; very high volume can make the sound less clear.
Replay the part you missed. Background noise, unclear speech and people talking over each other can affect the result. If a name, number or instruction still looks wrong, ask the sender to write that part out.
OmniTalk shows a connection error
Check your Wi-Fi or mobile data and try again. PRO mode needs an internet connection. Downloaded languages are available for BASIC offline translation, but that does not mean every PRO feature works offline. OmniTalk support, checked 6 September 2026.
A few things worth knowing
Why do I need the phone's speaker?
For this method, OmniTalk listens through your iPhone's microphone while the speaker plays the message. Headphones send the sound to your ears instead, so the microphone cannot hear it clearly. That is why you should disconnect them for audio and video translation.
Does OmniTalk read all my WhatsApp chats?
No. You choose the message to play or the text to copy. The floating window shows OmniTalk's translation; it is not a new button added to WhatsApp.
Can I save the translation to read later?
Yes. OmniTalk lets you save the audio or video captions to your history. This saves the text you can read afterwards; it does not mean the original WhatsApp recording has been imported. OmniTalk features, checked 6 September 2026.
Is WhatsApp's voice-note transcript the same as a translation?
A transcript writes down the words someone said. A translation puts those words into another language. If WhatsApp offers a transcript, check whether you still need to translate its text.
Does this guide also cover WhatsApp calls?
These steps are for recorded voice notes and other audio or video you can play. They do not establish that live WhatsApp calls work the same way.
What should I do when I finish?
Return to OmniTalk and stop the translation session when you are done listening.
Updated 6 September 2026. The video shows the voice-note example; it is not a test of every app or language.
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