Voice memo stops when the screen locks

Hi all,

Voice memo recording and listening through iMessage is suboptimal and I have found a few ways to work around the major pitfalls including the frustrating feature that cuts off a recording when your screen auto locks. The best option is actually to just switch to WhatsApp because the voice memo sharing features there are superior and will play through auto lock and will continue playing when you switch apps.

For long voice memos:

1) If you press and hold on a memo sent by someone else, it will expand the dialogue box and if you press on the waveform graphic it will start playing the memo in a large dialogue box. From here, download the note to your files and then locate the file and play it - the playing memo will override screen lock from here.

2) When recording, I suggest using the "Voice Memos" app and then sending the recording as a file, rather than sending a voice memo within the iMessage app.

I updated both my iphone and ipad to 15.0.2. Voice memo still works well when the screen is off but ipad doesn’t. However, not all memos have this problem, some can play with the off black screen. After using some different ways (delete and reinstall the app, turn off and on icloud sync,…), I tried to record a new voice memo only for 10 seconds and from then on, all of my voice memos can play when the screen is off. Hope this helps.

Hello, I had the same issue, someone suggested remove and reinstall the app. It works like before now.

Save the voice memo to Files and it will play even when the iphone is locked

Save the voice memo to Files and it will play even when the iphone is locked

Hello,

So I tried the method of Vy888, after installing ios 15.1 , I deleted the app and reinstall it, it works, but as soon as I close the app in the background and reopen to use it, the problem comes back and stays the same. And then I tried to delete the app and reinstall, doesn't work anymore.

So my solution is that I reset all settings (without deleting all content) and use the app without closing in the background, just let it open. That also means when you close other apps, you gotta watch out for it, I know, it's kinda annoying, but... it fixes the problem. Unless your iPad runs out of battery and shut down by itself, it works for replay voice memos with the screen locked. So a temporary solution, that's all I've got. I hope that helped.

My device is iPad 8th gen 2020

I usually add it to my notes first. It keeps playing on the Lock Screen when you do that, as far as I know.

Hello violets19,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities!

If we understand your post correctly, while playing a voice memo it will stop when the lock screen on your iPhone comes on. We'd like to help!

This is expected behavior for the Voice Memos app in iOS. Currently, there is not a way to disable the Voice Memo recording when the lock screen comes on.

Apple does invite feedback and feature requests via their product feedback portal: Product Feedback

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

Take care!

I have to turn my Lock Screen off and put on do not disturb, at bare minimum, to get through listening to audio texts in imessage, or I’ll have to start it over from the beginning every time my phone locks. It definitely was not like this before, so I don’t know why the only response to this issue has been “it’s behaving just like we planned it :)”

Hello there, I was just wondering if there was a fix to Violets post planned, happening etc? Thanks 🙏 i’m also having a similar problem when recording voice note on the messages app, when the screen locks recording stops. Sometimes when I go back into the message I have to re-record but to be fair I haven’t had time to research this one yet but I also agree in the listening to voice notes the time is very distracting when trying to work. Thanks again Michael

I am having a similar problem. Upgraded to an iPhone 12 with iOS 13.3 running and I tried to make a recording so I would not have to interrupt a conversation with note writing. I turned airplane mode on so that no calls or alarms would stop the recording. When the screen locked I discovered 1/2 hour later that recording stopped 5 minutes into the recording when the screen locked. This is not normal behavior. At least it didn't used to be. I used to make recordings for extended periods of time with no interruption. This is unacceptable. And infuriating as others have noted. If it is the new normal, then it is a stupid feature.

Hello nice people! Im making songs and recording them on voice menos, when I go to

listen the audio stops as soon as the screen goes black. This wast the case before. So the workflow is disrupted now. Imagine you are a journalist and want to listen to you hour long interview. You cant. Please Apple fix this and make our lives easier the way it used to be. Thanks

This really is ridiculous for Apple to claim this feature is behaving as intended. Using the recording directly within iMessage is a terrible user experience because it cuts off if a) the screen locks b) ANY pop up comes up on the screen such as a 20% battery alert c) someone calls you, and probably other scenarios I haven’t even yet discovered. Apple needs to fix this.

This is infuriating.

iphone didn’t previously cut off voice notes when the screen locks.

Any suggestion to fix this would be great

It didn’t work for me. Do you have any other suggestions?