WhatsApp is developing a new feature that could make typing messages easier for Android users.
The upcoming tool will allow users to speak a message and convert their words directly into text. Unlike sending a traditional voice note, recipients will receive only the converted text message.
The feature was spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.37.8 by WABetaInfo. It remains under development and is currently unavailable to beta testers.
WhatsApp Voice-to-Text Dictation Will Work Offline
One key feature of the upcoming tool is offline processing. WhatsApp plans to process spoken messages directly on the user’s smartphone.
The feature will use downloaded language packs instead of relying on cloud-based speech recognition. This approach means an active internet connection will not be required for converting speech into text.
Users will first need to download the appropriate language pack to their device.
After that, dictation should continue working even when the phone is offline.
How the New Dictation Feature Will Work
WhatsApp plans to introduce a dedicated dictation button within the chat bar. When users activate it for the first time, they will see a short introduction.
The app will then ask users to select their preferred language. Once configured, the chat bar will display a “Listening…” message while the user speaks.
The spoken words will then be converted into written text. Users can review the converted message and tap the send button when ready.
They will also have the option to cancel the process before sending anything. The feature is being designed for individual conversations, group chats and channels.
Audio Processing Will Stay on the Device
The upcoming tool will use locally downloaded language packs already available for voice message transcription.
WhatsApp previously expanded transcription support to additional languages. These include German, French, Italian and Japanese, alongside more English variants.
Because processing happens locally, the spoken audio does not need to reach an external server for transcription.
Users should only need to download their required language pack once.
How It Differs From Voice Message Transcription
WhatsApp already offers a feature that converts received voice messages into readable text. The new dictation tool works differently.
Users will speak their own message, and the application will convert it into text before sending.
The recipient will receive the final written message rather than the original audio. They will therefore not hear the sender’s voice.
The current implementation also does not plan to identify these messages as voice-dictated text.
They should appear like standard text messages inside a conversation.
Interface May Change Before Launch
The dictation button is currently planned for the chat bar. However, WhatsApp could change its location before making the feature publicly available.
The company has previously adjusted interface elements while testing new features.
No Release Date Announced
There is currently no confirmed release date for the offline dictation feature.
It has not yet been activated for beta testers. Features discovered during development can also change significantly before their public release.
Some experimental tools may never reach the stable version of the application.
In other news read more about: Qwen3.8-Omni-Flash Launches With 1M Context and Advanced Audio-Visual Agents
If development continues, Android users could receive the new voice-to-text dictation tool through a future WhatsApp update.
