“I thought I’d voice note because it’s easier”

[crabsaremisunderstood]

More and more of my friends reply to my texts with a voice note and cite this exact phrase. Yes, it’s easier. But ONLY for the sender, not the recipient! I hate having to speed up the bastard things to get to the point of the message, when I could scan read a text in a matter of seconds.

Also, I don’t mind them when I’ve got a free day and can listen whilst pottering about with housework, but there’s no chance I can listen when I’m at work, so I have to leave them hanging for hours instead of seeing the text and quickly replying.

AIBU?

(light hearted…sort of )

I don’t engage with voice notes. If I wanted to listen to people, I’d call them.

I just don't understand VNs for logistics. Why send me a long note rambling on and in the middle saying' Let's meet at 11 am at the Pret at King's Cross" and then ramble on again about the weather? Hardly any chance of me picking up the crucial information. Why not just text me: 11 am. Pret Kings Cross?

Yanbu hate to listen then try and remember the voice note, much rather read a message and if I haven't got time to reply I don't have to listen all over again!

I usually text back to say I won’t be able to listen until evening so text me if it’s urgent.

Apple to the rescue.

IOS 17 will transcribe the voice note for you to text. Handles voicemails and voice memos.

I have the same issue.

I think you need to leave them unread and then text a few days later: sorry, have been too busy to listen - can you summarise key points?

Unless they are less than a minute.

I don't mind them I mean if they rambled on for 2-3 minutes before getting to the point that would be annoying, but does anyone actually do that? No-one I know does.

I send them sometimes - about 10% of the time - to one of my 3 BFFs, or DH, or the DC. If I haven't got my reading glasses, and I can't see what I'm typing, OR if it's a bit long-ish and I CBA to type out 150-200 words. I can speak what I want to say in a fifth of the time I can type it.

Don't get the hate for them on here. I don't mind getting them. As I say, no-one I know rambles for 2-3 minutes before getting to the point.

As for speaking out the words and letting them type out. YES that is a thing. BUT sometimes 15% to 20% of the words are incorrect, or some are missed out. I have to go all through the many words and spellcheck and make sure they make sense, and correct loads. In that time I can have just spoke it out as a voice note.

Voice notes are such a backwards move.

The entire reason text messages were invested was to message quickly in situations where a call might not be appropriate if people where be at work, on public transport etc. I refuse to listen to them.

Being thick here, but how do you dictate a message?

You don't 🫣😉

OR if it's a bit long-ish and I CBA to type out 150-200 words. I can speak what I want to say in a fifth of the time I can type it.

Well you've admitted it at least.

You’re very much in the minority on this thread - they’re fucking annoying

Me and my sister tend to send voice notes as it is easier. But i literally only send a quick few seconds voice note and she sent me a 4 minute one the other week. So I avoid it now! 🤣🤣

A way lazy people can be even more lazy, while inconveniencing the recipient of said message

Asides from people that are visually impaired or have another issue that prevents them from being able to type/read text messages, it’s selfish and entitled - as your reasoning above explains!

They do have the advantage of indicating tone though. Given how easily messages can be misinterpreted because of the lack of tone of voice or facial expression, at least people might not constantly fall out over stupid misunderstandings.

All my friends in another country (poor with low levels of literacy) use voice notes, and have done for a long time. It makes sense there, and especially when they talk to me, as English isn't their first language.

I don't choose to use them outside that particular function though.

@Deathbyfluffy or an easier way for really busy working individuals/parents to communicate, who also have their hands full with their children or other tasks etc. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of threads about complaining that people don't text back enough these days. Jeez. Never happy. Not everyone is lazy.

I'm dreading the day people send me FaceTime recordings!!!??

I also hate voice notes.. can never hear them properly!

I agree OP. Any voice messages are left for hours but I read text almost immediately. At least it stops the ping ping of text back and forth as by the time I can listen they have moved on to something else.

I hate them and I hate voicemail. I can read far quicker than anyone can speak so if you can't / won't type out what you want to say, phone me for a proper conversation.

I only discovered a couple of months ago that if you hold your phone to your ear (like you would if you were making a call or listening to a voicemail), the voice note can't be heard by anyone else, only you

I quite like a voice note on occasion but only reply when I can. That goes for written messages too.

On my WhatsApp, there's a row between where you're typing and the keyboard. The first symbol is a smiley face for emojis, the second is a microphone and that will allow you to dictate messages and it will translate to text for you.

If it's an Android, then just above your phone keyboard, before you start typing, there's a line of icons including a smily, the settings cog etc. Somewhere in there is an icon that looks like a microphone. You press that and then you speak instead of typing a message. But unlike the dreaded voice notes, it converts your speech into text. It's reasonably accurate (and I have mine set up to work in two languages I speak fluently plus another two I'm learning, it automatically recognises which one I'm speaking, which I find quite cool), but do check it before sending because there's often odd mistakes.