Friend keeps sending long voice notes instead of messages

[GirouxSein]

A friend has started sending voice notes for everything. Some of them are 5 minutes long and I often can’t listen straight away. It then feels rude when I reply hours later.
I know it’s probably meant to be more personal, but I find it a bit overwhelming and honestly prefer a normal message I can skim when I’m busy.

Just press the ‘transcribe’ button and read it instead

My daughter started this. I told her I wasn’t ever going to sit through that. She could text me or try calling. I have no problem chatting when I have the time and energy to focus, but this voice message bs is crazy

I realise I am the odd one out on this thread but if a message is going to be long, I would far rather be able to listen to it while walking somewhere or scrubbing something, rather than having to stop what I am doing in order to read it.

I thought voice notes were exclusively in the estate agent domain? Or at least they are in my phone!

My only other experience was when one of my best friends did it whilst breast feeding twins, which is quite different as the only time she had to reply to stuff is when she doesnt have her hands that free. Unless it is something like that, then it is sort of like getting voicemails and again, no one who really knows you leaves them!

Doesn't bother me, anyone who sends me these knows they get listened to when I have time and responded to at that point. Thats fine with them, if they want me to know something immediately they text it or call me.

She’s not leaving them, she is responding a few hours after receipt, which is more than fine given the voice notes are 5 minute monologues.

I agree OP should tell her friend though.

they are like 6 mins long often in working day. I have to leave a meeting just to go out to check it.

Lol what? No you don’t. Tell her to stop!

Don't be ridiculous! 😉

There’s a time and a place for them I think. I have a colleague who will often send time sensitive information in a voice note and it infuriates me because I can’t just check if something is important or not.
On the other hand if someone is telling me a story or a good piece of gossip I love a voice note because I can treat it like a podcast.

I do wish WhatsApp offered an AI overview like Apple voicemails

Definitely tell the colleague to stop, in writing.

I don't mind the occasional short one from a friend I'm not in regular contact with, as a nice reminder of them. But I resent when they are overused/long/ inane nattering...

I have a friend.who does this (all 3!l) and he's actually quite selfish and self interested in general! Sometimes I tell him, I don't have time to listen to that, or just ignore them, or ask him to summarise in a text. I know I'm not the only friend who has told him and he continues to send them.

My friend sends voice messages. I like them, it’s good to hear her voice.

If in WhatsApp you have the transcribe feature, no need to listen. I always use that

I’m a bit surprised at these people who have time to log into MN, start a thread, presumably read replies and answer them but still don’t have five minutes to listen to a message from a friend. Surely you just listen to them whilst you are doing something else that doesn’t require concentration?

Don't you think it ironic you will give time to me a complete stranger reading this message but not want to listen to a friend?

I had no idea people dislike them so much. My friends and I send them to each other over WhatsApp all the time. I love hearing their voices whilst they tell me little anecdotes about their day or whatever else.

The messages to OP are constant and upto 5 minutes long.

For someone with ADHD like me, that would be torture.

It’s hardly comparable with OP asking a quick question on MN.

I love voice notes! I look forward to listening then responding, it’s like getting to have a chat on the phone but at your convenience. There’s no pressure to respond immediately. If I need a quick response I’ll always text instead of voice note because of course I get that it’s not always convenient to play a voice note

You’ll like this by Chris Fenning. Bottom left corner is the key.

This is very helpful, thank you.

I don't like voice notes because I can't listen to them when dh is asleep, when aim in the room with the kids, when I'm at work, in fact most of the time so it just delay the communication for me. If I had time to talk I would ring.

Can't relate. Love a voice note...it's how i communicate with my friends. 🤣

I love the odd voice note and me and my friends use them when we are trying to describe something that has happened or for the drama. It's never for facts and they are also rare. I couldn't be arsed with them all day ! Once a week max!

And if I can't listen until later, I let them know

I hate them and listen through gritted teeth 😬 I wouldn’t mind if they are short and sweet but in my experience people prattle on which is annoying.

I have mine set on 2x speed so I get through them quickly
sometimes I’ll send a voice note if tone is important or if it’s a complicated instruction, but I’ll keep it very succinct though

Listen to it sped up, then you can go back and slow down if it sounds important!