Can I turn off my iPhone's voicemail transcriptions in iOS 17?

And make a new thread because this one isn’t in the right category, so it won’t have any significance in trying to get it solved. As this one is talking about voicemail… we’re talking about iMessage voice text messages.

ChaseRichard wrote:

Smh. Was obv to cgrimes87 as they’re referring to the very glitchy dictation we now have in iMessage voice w ioS 17, not voicemail like the op posted about.

I'm sorry but I'm not entirely clear what that means. Spelling out your words is very helpful to other posters.

What I can comment on is that, though, what the author asked about in the post was "Is there any way we can turn off the captions/transcription on voice messages in messages?", the subject line said "Voice Mail". So, while the OP wasn't talking about Voicemail, it's very easy to see why someone might think this thread is about Voice Mail.

But, yes, they are more likely to get help in their own thread.

It is supposed to be transcribing the message from audio to text inside your phone. Not being sent somewhere else for transcription. It’s basically like using the dictation input to type text in the built in keyboard or using a Siri audio command. The phone recognizes what is being said.

ok I FIGURED THIS OUT TODAY and i'm sooo happy. if i'm understanding the issue right, i was super frustrated as well that i could no longer hold the little microphone button down to record voice messages without it turning to text. the way i restored the feature was by turning off dictation. if you search "dictation" in settings it takes you to keyboards and you can turn off "enable dictation," which makes the microphone on imessage go back to recording voice messages. i would still like to know how turn off voice message transcriptions though lol

Ess_ayers wrote:

Count me as a vote for a “turn off” option. Xo

No one is "counting" anyone's preferences in this forum. If you really want Apple to know your thoughts on the matter, use the feedback page:

Product Feedback - Apple

Not having the option to disable the transcript for audio messages in text is a nuisance. There should definitely be an option.

maricruz80 wrote:

There should be a way to disable that, it’s inconvenient.

Tell Apple:

Product Feedback - Apple

Yes, the delay in being able to use the phone while the message transcribes is very annoying and inconvenient!

Turn Live Voicemail on or off

1. Open the Settings app, then tap Phone.
2. Tap Live Voicemail.
3. Turn Live Voicemail on or off.

In iOS 17 and later, Live Voicemail is on by default.

alanarhoades wrote:

Voice message transcripts should have the option to turn them off

Tell Apple:

Product Feedback - Apple

I agree the option should be available for the receiver if they want to hear the message or read the text. The way it is done in WeChat is that you just long-press on an audio message then the option appears to convert to text. Easy. So you can choose any time you want to see a voice message as text or listen to it. It wouldn't have to be a setting that is either on or off.

I also think voice messages can be a good thing. To say "I've never understood why people send an audio message when they could just text me." Could easily be reversed to "I've never understood why people text me when they could just send an audio message." I enjoy hearing people's voices, feels more human to me. Not for every message, like if you're just telling me what time dinner is a text is fine. But if it's a back and forth I prefer audio messages. Sometimes a texting conversation feels like I'm talking with a chatbot. Also you can be walking and talking and walking and listening, you don't have to stop everything you're doing to type out a message or read one.

Here_we-go wrote:

To say "I've never understood why people send an audio message when they could just text me." Could easily be reversed to "I've never understood why people text me when they could just send an audio message."

I don't expect you to share my opinion. But, nor am I particularly interested in why other people have a different opinion. Unless they keep sending me audio messages. Then I will do what I do with voicemail: ignore the message and text them.

This function intercepts calls that should be going to my carrier's voice box for my number we should be able to turn this off. The other reason is that when i get a call from someone who is speaking another language the text is just garbage. An other reason is that this now means the voice message left is now stored on my phone instead of on my carrier voice mail box and i suspect it will eventually impact my storage used. Please give us the option to turn this off.

This feature needs a disable option. If I send a voice memo it HANGS FOREVER trying to transcribe before the message is sent. I do not need my received voice memos in text and vice versa. If I did, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TEXTS ALREADY

ChaseRichard wrote:

And make a new thread because this one isn’t in the right category, so it won’t have any significance in trying to get it solved. As this one is talking about voicemail… we’re talking about iMessage voice text messages.

Why are you telling the author of the thread to start a new one?