Voice Message Feature Introduced by Google Chat for a Limited Number of Users

Google has started rolling out the voice messaging feature on Google Chat for select users. Last year, the preview tool allowed users to record and send voice messages. The voice messaging feature is currently only available to paying Google Workspace subscribers. The Google Chat voice messaging function was first previewed in 2023.

In the current version, the send symbol next to the photo button has been replaced by a microphone button. The visible location of the microphone button makes it easier for consumers to send voice communications.

Google Chat: Sending voice messages

To send a voice message in Google Chat, users must first tap on the microphone icon and start recording. Unlike other apps, users aren’t forced to hold down the microphone, and a “live waveform visualizes your voice” along with a timer. You can listen to the message before sending it or delete it and try again.

Saved messages are displayed in direct messages, group chats and Spaces in the form of a pill. Other users can reply to a voice message just like any other chat message. Google has also revealed that its voice message transcription feature will be available soon.

The voice messaging feature is currently available for Android and iOS users. “Sending a voice message instead of typing saves time, conveys more information and highlights the information most important to the message recipient,” the company said in a blog post. Google announced that voice messaging in Google Chat was a “highly requested feature” and described how this new feature could benefit consumers.

Google Chat voice messaging functionality is now available for Workspace Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus users. For now, free and cheaper accounts cannot use the feature.

Furthermore, Google has also confirmed that the feature has already been rolled out and will be available in the coming weeks. The feature is currently only available on mobile devices. The company also announced that the feature will soon be available on the Google Chat web app.