One of the most popular messaging apps today, there’s no doubt that WhatsApp is regularly used to send hundreds of thousands of audio files around the globe. But how do you save audio from WhatsApp easily on your iPhone or Android phone? This article provides 5 different methods.

WhatsApp is a convenient way of sending all kinds of messages, but saving these messages can sometimes be tricky.

This is especially true when it comes to audio messages and even more so if you’re using an iPhone since you can’t directly access files on iOS phones like you can with Androids.

In this article, I’ll teach you how to save audio from WhatsApp, whether you’re using an Android or iPhone.

5 Ways To Save Audio From WhatsApp On iPhone & Android – Step By Step

Using iPhone – Exporting From WhatsApp

As mentioned above, saving WhatsApp audio files can be quite tricky on an iPhone since you can’t directly access an app’s storage files. On an Android phone, you can simply open the file manager and access your files that way.

However, there are a few ways to export audio files from your iPhone’s WhatsApp: using email and using the Files app. 

This section will go through each method.

Using Email

The easiest and most convenient method to save WhatsApp voice messages and other audio files is through email. 

However, the main disadvantage is that you can only send one audio message at a time, which can be time-consuming if you want to save multiple files.

If you don’t mind this downside, though, follow the steps below.

  • Open WhatsApp on your iPhone and go to the chat with the audio file you want to save.Tap and hold the message containing the file and wait for an options menu to pop up.From the menu, tap Forward.Next, pick Share.You will then have the option to choose the method of sharing. From the menu, pick Mail.On the next window, input the email address that you want to send the file to. If you only want to save the audio file, you can input your own email. The audio file will then automatically attach.Tap Send.Open your email and look for the message that you sent to yourself, and then open it.Tap the attached audio file to download. You will then be able to access the file anywhere, including on your iPhone, as long as you have the email where it’s attached.

Using The Files App

Since you can’t access app storage files, you need to export WhatsApp media files first in order to save them to your Files app.

This works the same way as an Android File Manager, except it’s a lot more limited and it only contains certain files.

You know how Android File Manager has folders showing what the different apps contain, including their developer packages? You won’t find this with iOS Files.

To save your voice messages and voice notes using this method, follow the steps below.

  • Go back to Step 5 of the previous method. Instead of picking Mail, select Save to Files.You’ll show some available folders where you can save your audio file. In this case, we’ll click Downloads.Click Save.To check if you’ve successfully saved the recording, open the Files app.Click the folder where you saved the file. In this case, it’s Downloads, so go ahead and click that.If you did it correctly, you should see the media file here.

Using iPhone – With Export Chat

Another method to save your audio from WhatsApp easily on iPhone is to use the Export Chat function.

This is a great way to save audio files if you have many of them since you’ll be able to save them all in one go. However, you can’t use it to just save one file, just the entire chat.

The biggest advantage of this method is that once you open it, you get access to all the files at once.

  • In the Settings tab, click Chats.After this, click the Export Chat button.You’ll be asked to select which conversation you’d like to export. Pick one.Next, choose whether you want to attach media or not. Since we want to save audio files, tap Attach Media.Your WhatsApp will now create a .zip file. Wait for it until you can select where you want to save it. Click Save to Files to save it on your iPhone.For this example, I’ll be saving it to the Audio folder in my iCloud Drive.Go to your Files app and select the folder where you saved the .zip file. In this case, it’s iCloud Drive > Audio.You should see the file here.Once you tap it, iOS will export it automatically.You can now open the new folder and see all the contents of your exported conversation. All audio files should be included.

Using Android – Exporting The File To Email

As mentioned, it’s easier to save WhatsApp audio files on Android. If you want to save just one audio file in a conversation, you can also just export it to your email.

To do so, follow the steps below.

  • Open WhatsApp and navigate to the conversation with the file you want to save.Tap and hold until the message is selected. An actions menu will then appear on the top of the interface.From the menu, pick the three interconnected dots that denote the Share icon.You will then have to choose a method of sharing the file. For this tutorial, we’ll tap Gmail.Your phone will bring you to your default email client. Input your email address. The audio file will automatically attach.Then, hit the Send button on the top-right corner.Go to your email account and open the message containing the attached audio file. Tap on the file to download it.

You now have your WhatsApp audio file saved to your Android phone.

Using Android – By Accessing Raw Files

Unlike with iPhones, you can access the app’s storage files on Android with any file manager app. This means you can directly copy the audio files from WhatsApp’s raw files without exporting them to your email.

Accessing the File Manager is the most efficient method to save audio from WhatsApp since you can easily use it for multiple and single files alike.

To learn how to use this method, follow the steps below. 

  • Open the File Manager app on your phone.

  • You then need to navigate to WhatsApp’s storage location. As you can see in the screenshot, although there’s a WhatsApp folder, it contains 0 items. In most cases, the files we want are actually located in the internal or phone storage.

  • You will then see a list of folders stored on your internal storage. Here, you should find WhatsApp’s storage folder by scrolling to the bottom of the list until you see it.

  • From here, you will see several folders, likely named Backups, Databases, and Media. Pick Media.

  • This folder contains all the media files downloaded by WhatsApp, including any audio files you might have downloaded. They are usually categorized in folders, as you can see below.

  • Music files will be saved on the WhatsApp Audio folder, while voice notes will be saved in the WhatsApp Voice Notes folder. For this tutorial, we’ll choose WhatsApp Voice Notes.

  • To find the right file, sort through them in order of time and date. Your most recent file will likely be located at the top.

  • Once you’ve found your file, tap and hold until a menu appears, and then copy it.

  • Go to a separate location in your phone’s storage where you want to save your file, and then paste it there. In this case, I pasted it to the Music folder of my External Storage.

Once it’s pasted to another location, you can now do what you want with it, including converting the WhatsApp audio to text.

For Android Or iPhone – Using Third-Party Software

There are also third-party solutions that allow you to easily transfer WhatsApp audio to the computer. With an app like this installed, you can easily share your audio file back to your phone or upload it to cloud storage.

Wondershare’s MobileTrans is a good example of this. It’s a third-party file management solution that can download files from your device in just a few clicks. You can also use it to transfer files from iPhone to Android and vice versa or even create a backup for both operating systems.

The only downside to using this service is that it isn’t free. The app starts at $29.95 for a year’s worth of features on Windows devices. However, if you find yourself often needing this service, it’s a small price to pay for the convenience.

If you want to use MobileTrans to save audio from WhatsApp, purchase a subscription now and follow the steps below.

  • Once you have downloaded, installed, and licensed your MobileTrans app, launch it on your PC.You will then have several options to choose from. Select the WhatsApp Transfer option.The app will then present you with several options. From there, pick Backup WhatsApp Messages.Connect your phone to your PC, and wait for it to be recognized. Once the app recognizes your Android device, you’re good to go.If needed, you will have to enable Developer Mode on your phone, and turn on USB Debugging. MobileTrans will provide tailored instructions with images, depending on your phone brand. Just follow the provided instructions on your screen.Next, choose what types of files MobileTrans will back up. Simply uncheck the file types that you don’t need. For this tutorial, I’ll go ahead and back up everything.When you’re done choosing, click the violet Start button on the bottom right of the screen, and then wait for the process to finish.When prompted, follow the on-screen instructions.Once done, you’ll have your full WhatsApp backup on your computer, including the audio files.To confirm the backup, click the “View” button on the side of the backup name.Once you’ve made sure that you have the correct file, you can now go ahead and disconnect your phone.

How To Save Audio From WhatsApp – In Conclusion

Although it has its advantages and disadvantages, WhatsApp is a convenient and popular app to use in our daily lives. This app can send messages for free and even files such as photos, videos, audio, and documents. However, it can be tricky if you want to download these media files from WhatsApp, especially if you’re using an iPhone.

Where Are WhatsApp Audio Files Stored On Android?

WhatsApp’s audio files are typically stored in your Android phone’s internal storage. More specifically, you can find the files by going to the main WhatsApp folder, then Media, and then the WhatsApp Audio folder. Here, you can see a list of all the audio files downloaded through WhatsApp.

Where Are WhatsApp Voice Notes Stored On iPhone?

WhatsApp voice notes stored on iPhone can be found in the audio folder since they’re a type of audio file. However, you can’t see them directly on your iPhone, so you have to either email them first, save them to your Files app, or export a .zip file.

Why Can’t I Download Audio On WhatsApp?

If you can’t download audio on WhatsApp, you might be experiencing problems with your internet connection, internal storage, or WhatsApp settings. Make sure to check all three to see which one is having an issue.

How Do I Transfer WhatsApp Audio From iPhone To Computer?

There are several ways to transfer WhatsApp audio files from iPhone to your computer. You can email the audio file to yourself, upload it to iCloud and download it to your computer from there, or use a third-party solution like Wondershare MobileTrans.

This article discussed several methods to save audio files from WhatsApp to Android, iPhone, and even a computer. If you follow these instructions, you will never experience the hassle of figuring out how to transfer files again.

Did you enjoy this article? Have you tried any of these methods? Let us know in the comments!