Fact · Transcription
On iPhone, a recording made in an earlier version of Voice Memos (iOS 17 or earlier) is transcribed automatically when you open it, if it contains recorded speech.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“If you open a recording made in an earlier version of Voice Memos (iOS 17 or earlier), Voice Memos will transcribe it automatically if it includes recorded speech.”
View a Voice Memos transcription on iPhone, Apple Support, 2026, Note on earlier recordings, Voice Memos on iPhone user guide.
Open the original- What it measures
- Apple's iPhone guide to viewing a Voice Memos transcription. The note sits under the instructions for making a transcription from the recording screen.
- What it does not show
- The note covers recordings made before the newer version of Voice Memos, so it does not explain every missing transcript. Apple's sentence does not say how long the transcription takes or what happens when the phone is offline.