# Telegram voice messages: how to record, speed up and save them Recording, pausing and trimming, playback speed, saving, audio files as voice messages and restrictions. https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/voice-messages Updated 2026-10-02 · 5 min read To send a voice message on Telegram, hold the microphone icon next to the message field, speak, and release: the message is sent. To avoid holding the button, swipe up and the recording locks. Slide your finger left to cancel. Below: how to pause, trim, speed up and save voice messages, and what to do with audio files. ## How to record and send a voice message 1. Open a chat and hold the microphone icon next to the message field. 2. Speak without letting go. When you release the button, the message is sent. 3. To cancel, slide your finger left while still holding the button. If you see a camera instead of a microphone, the button is in video mode: the icon changes the recording mode when you tap it. For video, see [Telegram video messages](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/video-messages). ## Locking, pausing and trimming Swipe up while you hold the microphone: the recording locks and you can speak without holding the button. In this mode you can also preview the message before sending it. - **Pause.** You can pause a voice message and continue later, so you send one message instead of several. Telegram added this in January 2024. - **Trim.** After recording, you can move the start and end points to cut out the part you want, without starting over. Telegram added trimming in June 2025, and Telegram Desktop got it in April 2026 (version 6.7). After trimming, you can record more by tapping the microphone again. - **View once.** A voice message can be sent so that it plays one time and is then deleted. See [view-once photos, videos and round videos](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/one-time-media). ## How to play a voice message faster Telegram can play voice messages faster: switch on 2x playback and you get to the point sooner. Tap the ⏩ icon in the player; pressing and holding it opens other speeds such as 0.5x and 1.5x. Telegram also describes any speed from 0.2x to 2.5x for voice and video messages. In Telegram Desktop, playback speed for voice and video messages is adjustable too. ## How to save a voice message In Telegram Desktop, right-click the voice message and choose "Save As", then pick a folder and a file name. The file is saved as .ogg, which not every player opens, so you may need to convert it, for example to MP3. Telegram does not publish exact steps for saving voice messages on phones, so we do not give any here. ## Sending an audio file as a voice message In Telegram's apps a voice message is something you record yourself; Telegram does not describe a way to turn an existing audio file into one. Bots can send files as voice messages: the Bot API accepts .ogg (Opus), .mp3 and .m4a for this. But a bot that does it for you receives your whole file, and you do not know what happens to it afterwards. ## Sounds and music in voice messages Telegram does not describe a built-in library of sounds or effects for voice messages. If you record while music plays from another app, a setting decides what happens. On iPhone, the Data and Storage section has the option "Pause Music While Recording", which controls whether music is paused when you start recording. We could not confirm a matching option on Android. ## Who can send you voice messages Telegram Premium subscribers can limit who may send them voice and video messages: the privacy settings have a "Voice Messages" item. For people who are not allowed, the microphone and camera buttons in the chat fade out. Group admins can also forbid voice and video messages for members. If you would rather read than listen, Telegram can transcribe a voice message with the →A icon: [voice-to-text in Telegram](https://shiba-bank.com/en/guides/voice-transcription). A 3, 6 or 12 month subscription can be arranged on the [Premium page](https://shiba-bank.com/en/premium). ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I send a voice message on Telegram? Hold the microphone icon next to the message field, speak and release. Swipe up to record without holding the button, or slide left to cancel. ### How do I record a Telegram voice message without holding the button? Start recording and swipe up. The recording locks, and you can preview it, pause it or trim it before sending. ### How do I download a voice message from Telegram? In Telegram Desktop, right-click the message and choose "Save As". The file is saved as .ogg. Telegram does not publish exact steps for phones. ### Can I send an audio file as a voice message on Telegram? Not with a built-in feature in the apps. Bots can send files as voice messages, but they receive your whole file. ### How do I add sounds to a Telegram voice message? Telegram does not describe built-in sounds or effects for voice messages. If music plays from another app, on iPhone the "Pause Music While Recording" option in Data and Storage controls whether it pauses. ### How do I speed up voice messages on Telegram? Tap the ⏩ icon in the player to switch on 2x; press and hold it for other speeds. Telegram describes speeds from 0.2x to 2.5x for voice and video messages. ### Who can send me voice messages on Telegram? Telegram Premium subscribers can limit who sends them voice and video messages in the privacy settings. Without Premium, Telegram describes no such setting.