“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 love a voice note! My friends live all over the place and I miss them. Why wouldn’t you want to hear your friends’ voices?!

I agree I can not listen immediately but the only person to leave me voice notes is my DD, she tends to leave them whilst on the go and walking somewhere. ( she lives abroad ). They have their place and I love receiving them.

Yanbu, they're a nightmare.

I have a friend who immediately calls me if I text her - so I’m caught out because she knows I’m near my phone.

I just don’t text her any more - unless she texts me first.

I hate it when that happens.

I don't hate voice notes anywhere near as much as I hate actual phone calls. Yes, I infintely prefer a written message to either, but if you really want me to hear your voice then for the love of Betsy make it a voice note rather than a call.

😂😂😂 Fair point!

But - like others - I find them much harder to actually listen to as a 'busy working individual/parent' than I would to read a message. I also can't send them myself while working or parenting. So while it might be easier to send it then doesn't facilitate a conversation in the way a text would, which is why I and lots of other people find it so annoying.

Love them- so much easier. All my phone calls are interrupted having young kids, my evenings once they are in bed I’m shattered or want some peace. Messages are way too short.
it’s the only way I can keep up with my friends.

I'd so much rather talk by phone. Most people don't monologue on the phone!

I see you voice notes and I raise you dictated text messages or whatever you call them. Text messages written by speaking them.

They are full of errors and mostly incomprehenisable. Comprendeadhendi?

@Fink

Coincidentally my name is Betsy and I feel your pain. Acutely.

I struggle with processing so I need either face to face (I literally mean face to face, if you are at the side of me I'm not picking it all up) or written communication. No one sends me voice notes anyway but if they did I would have to text back and ask them to send it written.

I think WhatsApp should allow you to opt out of voice notes. Like opting out of last seen etc. Really hate them.

Don’t see the issue. I receive more than I send, but just play them on 1.5/2 speed. It’s also lovely to hear the voices of people who either live abroad, or I haven’t seen for a long time.

Some of the hyperbolic responses on here are bizarre. They’re not really a nightmare, are they? Or do you really lack that much resilience?

Hate them. With a passion.

I hate them with a passion too. We all need to sign this:

https://www.change.org/p/allow-users-to-disable-voice-notes-in-whatsapp

Please let this be the case as YANBU Op - I hate them!

Hate them. Ex dp started sending them as his new girlfriend is into them. I put up with it until he sent me a TWENTY MINUTE long voice note. I text back 'Fuck off, I'm not listening to your podcast, either type it up or get to the point". That was the last one he sent 😁

Oh thank God someone asked.

I am not a luddite I swear, but I've no clue what a voice note is.
Off to read the rest of the thread to find out.

I love my friend's voice notes, I only see her once a year or so and so like to hear her voice, her thoughts, just a really different thing than a text message which just doesn't tell you anything (I think if we Whatsapped a lot it might be different). So, I like them but I can imagine in the wrong hands they could become tedious. I reply by VN if someone sends me a voice note, otherwise not.

This would be amazing.

It depends who it's from.
I have one friend and we both send them to each other when we're multitasking with the children.

Otherwise 95% of the time the messages I get are typed messages, unless someone is stuck under a napping baby.

I find the whole idea of a voice note weird. What is the point in them? If you are going to speak, call! If no answer, leave a message. Or if you don’t want to call, send a text! 🤣

I'm old so I don't get many - sometimes from younger colleagues - but agree they're annoying, as are voicemails where someone spells out an email or recites a phone number. I had to replay one about 3 or 4 times the other day to get the spelling of the name in an email. She could easily have texted the same info.

I'm a visual person. I like to read messages and check them later if there are times or meet up details in them. Text messages are one of the greatest inventions of all time IMO, WhatsApp the best app ever. Hate phone calls and always have done, and no Facetime and the like are not the same as meeting in person

Same here. Only my dad and brother do this. If I wanted to actually TALK, I wouldn't send a text message!