To send a voice message on Snapchat, open a chat with your friend, press and hold the microphone icon in the chat bar, speak, then let go to send it. To cancel, slide your finger away to the left before you release. Group chats work the same way.
That's all it takes, and you can have one sent in a few seconds. The rest of this page covers the small things that trip people up: cancelling a recording, saving one, the difference between a voice note and a call, and what to do when the microphone seems dead.
Send a voice message step by step
- Open Snapchat and swipe right from the camera screen to reach Chat.
- Tap your friend's name to open the conversation.
- Look at the chat bar at the bottom. Find the microphone icon.
- Press and hold the microphone icon with your finger. Don't let go yet.
- Speak while you hold it down. You'll see that the recording is running.
- Release your finger to send the message.
The key is to keep holding. If you tap the microphone quickly, nothing is recorded. Think of it as a walkie-talkie button: it only works while your finger is on it.
Snapchat moves things around from time to time. If the icon looks different on your version, look in the chat bar for a microphone symbol, or search Snapchat's settings for the word "chat".
Changed your mind? Cancel before it sends
Sometimes you'll realise halfway through that you coughed, said the wrong name, or just don't want to send it. You can scrap it without anything being sent.
- Keep your finger on the microphone icon.
- Slide your finger away to the left.
- Let go once you see that the recording is cancelled.
The trick is to slide first and release second. If you let go before you slide, it sends. If you aren't sure, practise once in a chat with a friend who won't mind, or with a group chat of one or two close people.
Voice note, voice call or video call?
Snapchat gives you more than one way to talk. Choosing the right one saves a lot of "sorry, can you hear me?" moments.
| Option | How you start it | What it's like | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voice note | Press and hold the microphone icon in the chat bar | You record a message and your friend plays it when they like | Quick replies, messages when a friend is busy, longer explanations you can't type |
| Voice call | Tap the phone icon at the top of the chat | A live conversation, both of you on the line | Talking things through in real time |
| Video call | Tap the video icon at the top of the chat | A live conversation with faces | Catching up, showing something in front of you |
A voice note is the right choice when you want to be heard without needing your friend to answer right now. They can listen when it suits them.
Saving, replaying and keeping voice messages
Voice notes in a chat behave like other chat messages. They follow the chat's delete settings, so they may disappear after your friend has seen them, depending on how that chat is set up. If someone wants to keep one, they can press and hold the message in the chat to save it.
That works both ways. Remember that your friend can save what you send, so treat voice notes like any message: don't say anything you'd be uncomfortable with them keeping. Likewise, ask permission before you save someone else's voice message, and never share one without their say-so.
To replay a voice note, tap it in the chat. If you're in a quiet place, check your volume. If you're somewhere noisy, hold the phone to your ear or use headphones.
Group chats are a good place to use voice notes, since one message reaches everyone and saves a long run of typing. Just remember that everyone in the group can hear it, so keep private things for one-to-one chats.
Tips for better voice messages
- Hold the phone a little to the side of your mouth, so your breathing doesn't hit the microphone.
- Move away from music, traffic and running taps. Background sound is the first thing that makes a message hard to follow.
- Plan the first sentence before you press down. Saying your point first gives your friend what they need straight away.
- Keep it short. If you find yourself explaining for ages, a call may be kinder.
- Check your notification settings, so you hear it when a friend replies. If you chat while you play together, see my page on how to play Snapchat games with friends.
When the microphone does nothing
If you press and hold the microphone icon and nothing happens, the problem is usually the phone's permission, not the app.
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Allow microphone access
Open your phone's settings, find Snapchat in the list of apps, open Permissions (on Android) or the Snapchat entry in Settings (on iPhone), and switch Microphone on. Then go back to Snapchat and try again.
Close other apps that are using the mic
A call, a video recording or a voice assistant may be using the microphone already. Close those first. Restart Snapchat if it still doesn't respond.
Update the app
An old version may lack the feature or have a glitch. Update Snapchat from your app store, then check that your friend is on the chat you think they are. If you can't see them at all, you may have been removed, and I've explained how to spot that in how to know if someone removed you on Snapchat.
Check that the chat is working
Make sure you're in an actual chat, not on the camera screen. The microphone icon lives in the chat bar, so it only appears once the conversation is open.
A note on streaks
A voice message in a chat won't count towards a streak, because streaks are built from snaps rather than chats. If you're keeping a streak going, send a snap as well. I've explained the rules in what a snap streak means on Snapchat.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send a voice message on Snapchat?
Open the chat with your friend, press and hold the microphone icon in the chat bar, speak, and release to send.
How do I cancel a voice message on Snapchat?
Keep holding the microphone icon and slide your finger away to the left before you let go. The recording is cancelled and nothing is sent.
Can I send a voice message in a Snapchat group chat?
Yes. Group chats work the same way: open the group, then press and hold the microphone icon, speak and release.
Why isn't the Snapchat microphone working?
The most common reason is that microphone access is switched off for Snapchat in your phone settings. Allow it, close any other app using the mic, and update Snapchat.
Can my friend save my voice message?
Yes. Voice notes follow the chat's delete settings, and your friend can save a message in the chat by pressing and holding it.
