How to Transcribe WhatsApp Voice Messages Offline

Why Transcribe WhatsApp Voice Messages?

WhatsApp voice messages are great for sending quick thoughts, but they have limitations:

• You can't search through them
• Skimming to find information is impossible
• Replaying long messages is tedious
• Sharing specific parts is difficult

Transcribing voice messages solves these problems. But using online transcription services means your private conversations pass through external servers.

This guide shows you how to transcribe WhatsApp voice messages entirely on your device.

What You'll Need

• iPhone or iPad with TokKong installed
• WhatsApp with voice messages to transcribe
• A few minutes of setup time

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Export the Voice Message from WhatsApp

1. Open WhatsApp and find the voice message
2. Long-press (tap and hold) on the voice message
3. Tap the share icon (square with arrow)
4. Select "Save to Files" or directly share to TokKong

If saving to Files:

• Choose a location (On My iPhone or iCloud Drive)
• Tap "Save"

Step 2: Import into TokKong

Option A: Direct Share If you shared directly to TokKong in Step 1, the app will open with the audio ready to transcribe.

Option B: From Files

1. Open TokKong
2. Tap the import button
3. Navigate to where you saved the voice message
4. Select the audio file

Step 3: Transcribe

1. Once the audio is loaded, tap "Transcribe"
2. TokKong's Whisper AI will process the audio locally
3. Wait for transcription to complete (speed depends on audio length)

For a typical 1-minute voice message, transcription takes just a few seconds on recent iPhones.

Step 4: Review and Edit

The transcription appears in the app. You can:

• Read through the text
• Make corrections if needed
• Copy specific sections

Step 5: Process with AI (Optional)

TokKong's local LLM can help you work with the transcript:

• Summarize: Get the key points from a rambling voice message
• Extract action items: Find tasks mentioned in the message
• Translate: Convert to another language
• Reformat: Turn casual speech into formal text

All processing happens on your device.

Tips for Better Results

Audio Quality Matters

WhatsApp voice messages vary in quality. For best transcription:

• Messages recorded in quiet environments transcribe better
• Clear speech without heavy background noise works best
• Multiple speakers may require manual separation

Handling Long Messages

For very long voice messages:

• Transcription may take longer
• Consider the reading time saved vs. listening time
• AI summarization is particularly helpful for long messages

Multiple Messages

To transcribe a conversation thread:

1. Export each voice message separately
2. Transcribe each in TokKong
3. Combine the transcripts manually or use AI to merge them

Privacy Benefits

Using TokKong for WhatsApp transcription keeps your messages private:

• Audio never leaves your device
• No cloud service sees your conversations
• No account or login required
• Works in airplane mode

This matters especially for:

• Business conversations
• Personal discussions
• Sensitive information
• Group chat voice notes

Automating with Siri Shortcuts

For frequent WhatsApp transcription, create a Shortcut:

1. Open the Shortcuts app
2. Create a new shortcut
3. Add "Share Sheet" as input
4. Add TokKong's transcription action
5. Save the shortcut

Now you can transcribe by sharing directly from WhatsApp to your shortcut.

Troubleshooting

Audio Won't Import

• Check that the file format is supported (MP3, M4A, AAC, WAV)
• Ensure you have storage space available
• Try saving to a different location first

Transcription Quality Issues

• Very noisy audio may not transcribe well
• Heavy accents might need the larger Whisper model
• Spoken numbers and names may need manual correction

App Crashes During Long Files

• Very long audio files (30+ minutes) may strain older devices
• Consider splitting long audio before import
• Ensure enough free storage space

Alternative Workflows

Quick Playback Instead

If you just need to quickly understand a message:

• TokKong can play audio at increased speed
• 1.5x or 2x playback saves time without transcription

Batch Processing

Have many voice messages to transcribe?

• Export all messages to Files first
• Process them in TokKong one by one
• Or use the queue feature if available

Summary

Transcribing WhatsApp voice messages locally:

1. Export from WhatsApp (share or save to Files)
2. Import into TokKong
3. Tap transcribe
4. Review and optionally process with AI

The entire process keeps your conversations private while making voice messages searchable and skimmable.

No cloud upload. No account required. Just fast, private transcription on your device.