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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate WhatsApp voice notes?

132 replies

MattCauthon · 16/11/2025 11:36

I don't mind a quick one because someone is running to meet you and wants to let you know they are on the way or whatever. But the 2-10 minute ones from SIL drive me mad. Long ramble ones. Either call me to discuss or summarise in a quick text. I am lucky that she is the only one. Dh has a couple.of colleagues who do it on their team whatsapp for scheduling and if drives him.mad too.

It's just so entitled. Like I have 4 minutes to listen to it all?! Argh!!! (And yes, I concede that this is probably aggravated by ongoing issues of SIL being kind and generous on one hand but hugely self absorbed and selfish on the other (kind and generous... on her terms!)

OP posts:
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LucyLoo1972 · 22/01/2026 03:24

the one person I accept them from is my partially sighted friend whose eyes get tired from texting

thefamous5 · 17/11/2025 09:11

Burnout50 · 16/11/2025 16:59

For those who "love to hear voices"

Phone calls work better!
It's actual communication, not your soliloquy

How would that work in a group chat where there are four of you? A group phone call wouldn't work because we all work different hours a voice note means we can say whet we need to say and everyone can listen and respond in their own time. We have conversations over voice notes lasting several days

Original poster
MattCauthon · 16/11/2025 21:00

RecordBreakers · 16/11/2025 17:46

I said YABU, because it isn't the voice note per se you are frustrated with, it is the way your SiL uses them.

Most people I know don't use them regularly at all, but when they do, it is for a valid reason, and they are short, and useful for that situation at that time.

This is actually probably right
An old friend i haven't seen in years sent a couple a few months ths ago. But it felt like a modern version of an email - she was updating me on her life and it was purposefully taking time.

Vs sil who just wants to ask me something but requires a 4 min voice note to do it.

OP posts:
NoSoupForU · 16/11/2025 20:08

I don't listen to them. They're really intrusive, and if someone wants me to hear them talking they can ring me.

21ZIGGY · 16/11/2025 19:44

PinkFootstool · 16/11/2025 18:46

The good news is, I'm friends with people who feel similarly therefore do not try to subject others to self absorbed wittering.

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The complete supposition on your part tells me everything I need to know

Ilovehighlandcows · 16/11/2025 19:28

clarepetal · 16/11/2025 19:21

I love a long voice note!

We are a rare breed it seems 😂

clarepetal · 16/11/2025 19:21

I love a long voice note!

PinkFootstool · 16/11/2025 18:46

21ZIGGY · 16/11/2025 18:14

a person who i would engage with with a voice note would not need to be forced. I do feel sorry for the friends of all the people that hate voice notes. You are accusing them of being entitled and I think the same in reverse about you.

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The good news is, I'm friends with people who feel similarly therefore do not try to subject others to self absorbed wittering.

alatusblack · 16/11/2025 18:32

I hate hate hate them. I won’t listen to them in public, then have to remember to listen later. And if there’s useful information in there, I can’t easily refer back. To all of you who like sending them, can’t you just use the dictation option instead? It will transcribe as you speak, so no more effort for you than a voice note. And your friends will stop cursing you behind your back!!

Burnout50 · 16/11/2025 18:14

You do you. I'm not listening to a voice note over 10 seconds long.

21ZIGGY · 16/11/2025 18:14

PinkFootstool · 16/11/2025 16:49

Nah, forcing me to listen to you monologue is extraordinarily selfish on your part.

Either write a message or phone me.

Show quote history

a person who i would engage with with a voice note would not need to be forced. I do feel sorry for the friends of all the people that hate voice notes. You are accusing them of being entitled and I think the same in reverse about you.

RecordBreakers · 16/11/2025 18:02

Burnout50 · 16/11/2025 16:59

For those who "love to hear voices"

Phone calls work better!
It's actual communication, not your soliloquy

Not always.

The last voice note I had was in a group chat. The sender would have had to make 4 phone calls.

Then, people can't always receive a phone call at the time the person is available to make it. With a voice note, the recipient(s) can listen when it is convenient to them, even if, by then, the sender might not be available.

Toddlerteaplease · 16/11/2025 17:56

My colleague started doing it. I told her to stop.

KatyaKat · 16/11/2025 17:55

Burnout50 · 16/11/2025 16:59

For those who "love to hear voices"

Phone calls work better!
It's actual communication, not your soliloquy

Well, that's subjective, isn't it? As demonstrated by the mix of responses on here.

Phone calls don't work better for me, because my schedule is very different from my friend's. I'd rather hear from her in a voice note than not at all.

moneyadviceplease · 16/11/2025 17:47

I delete without listening. I can’t be doing with voice notes

RecordBreakers · 16/11/2025 17:46

I said YABU, because it isn't the voice note per se you are frustrated with, it is the way your SiL uses them.

Most people I know don't use them regularly at all, but when they do, it is for a valid reason, and they are short, and useful for that situation at that time.

lynnebenfieldshandbag · 16/11/2025 17:45

Burnout50 · 16/11/2025 16:59

For those who "love to hear voices"

Phone calls work better!
It's actual communication, not your soliloquy

There are about 3.5 minutes in any given day when I am available for a phone call! A voice note is not something I see as a substitute for a phone call. It’s more like an enhanced text message.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 16/11/2025 17:44

Me too, love the quick messages, anything longer than 30 seconds is annoying.

Moretwirlsandswirls · 16/11/2025 17:42

Burnout50 · 16/11/2025 16:59

For those who "love to hear voices"

Phone calls work better!
It's actual communication, not your soliloquy

sometimes we just require a quick check in. There’s a time zone difference. Works for us. Love hearing my friends and family’s voices. People are busy and don’t always have the time for a call. I agree a call would be better, but a voice note is the next best thing for us. Anyway, I think as long as both sides are happy with it I don’t see the problem.

Laura95167 · 16/11/2025 16:59

I think theyre rude and entitled. Its convenient for the sender but not the reciever

I hate answering messages, the answering machine is a faff and I often forget. If you have a necessary message and miss me send a text. Because at work, I can glance at a message on a break. I may not be able to listen to voicemail or voice note

But at least with an answering message someone tried to speak to you. With a voice note someone just wants to talk at you.

Burnout50 · 16/11/2025 16:59

For those who "love to hear voices"

Phone calls work better!
It's actual communication, not your soliloquy

Burnout50 · 16/11/2025 16:57

PinkFootstool · 16/11/2025 16:49

Nah, forcing me to listen to you monologue is extraordinarily selfish on your part.

Either write a message or phone me.

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💯

Moretwirlsandswirls · 16/11/2025 16:53

I love them! I don’t send them to people that don’t send them to me though. The ones I receive are from my dyslexic son, a dyslexic friend and two friends from overseas (one who doesn’t have English as their first language.) I love hearing their voices 😊

leakycauldron · 16/11/2025 16:50

Throwaway65131 · 16/11/2025 16:41

Yep but in an actual phone conversation the person doesn’t monologue at you for however long, needing you to remember to reply about their auntie Susan, the kids swimming lesson, and the dog’s new tricks! In a phone call they tell you about Auntie Susan, you respond about Auntie Susan. Sometimes you ask questions or offer input amidst the story of Aunt Susan. I would feel so rude with a voice note forgetting to say “Hope Aunt Susan’s issue gets better”. With text messages the info all comes in one go but you can scroll back to make sure you didn’t miss anything!

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Yes that does happen… we quite often will say “sorry forgot to comment on such as such…”

It’s a friend not the queen… it’s all quite relaxed and neither of us gets offended if the other one forgets something. It’s just a good way to keep each other up to date about our lives. I can understand why people don’t like them though.

It can be quite therapeutic, sometimes one of us has had a bad day and we vent and ramble on not expecting the other one to have the answers or anything but it does get it all of our chest. We’ve been sending them for years so it’s not like either one of us has got fed up with it!

PinkFootstool · 16/11/2025 16:49

21ZIGGY · 16/11/2025 12:43

If i'm not worth enough to you to listen to my voice notes, then I don't want you as a friend.

I'm not talking every message, but sometimes it's warranted.

I think it's equally entitled to refuse to listen to them.

Nah, forcing me to listen to you monologue is extraordinarily selfish on your part.

Either write a message or phone me.