How to save voice messages from the people you love.

iPhone Messages (iMessage audio messages)

By default, iPhone deletes an audio message from the conversation two minutes after you listen to it, unless you tap Keep. Change that once and you won't lose another one:

1. 1.

   Stop them expiring

   Open Settings > Messages, scroll to Audio Messages, tap Expire and choose Never.

2. 2.

   Keep the ones you have

   Under a new audio message in the conversation, tap Keep.

3. 3.

   Save a copy

   Touch and hold the audio message and tap Save to Voice Memos. You can also use the share option to save it to Files.

WhatsApp voice notes on iPhone

1. 1.

   Open the chat

   Find the voice note you want to keep.

2. 2.

   Forward, then share

   Touch and hold the voice note, tap Forward, then tap the share icon.

3. 3.

   Save to Files

   Choose Save to Files, pick a folder and tap Save. The voice note is saved as an audio file you can keep or move anywhere.

WhatsApp voice notes on Android

Android keeps a copy of every voice note you download in WhatsApp's media folder, as .opus files sorted into dated subfolders.

1. 1.

   Open your file manager

   Use the Files app on your phone and search for "WhatsApp Voice Notes".

2. 2.

   Or browse to the folder

   Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Media > WhatsApp Voice Notes.

3. 3.

   Move the ones you love

   Copy the files to a folder of your own or to cloud storage, so clearing WhatsApp doesn't take them with it. You can also touch and hold a voice note in the chat, tap Share and send it to Google Drive.

Voicemails

Carriers often delete old voicemails automatically, so save the important ones somewhere else. On iPhone with Visual Voicemail, open Phone > Voicemail, tap the message, then tap the share icon and save it to Voice Memos or Files. On Android, open the voicemail in your phone or carrier's voicemail app and look for Save or Export in its menu; the exact wording depends on your phone and carrier.

Then give them a home

Saved files are safe, but a folder of audio files named by date isn't something you open when you miss someone. That's what Tucket is for: put each saved voice note in a pocket for the person it's from, add a photo, and play it back with one tap.

Questions about Tucket

Why do my iPhone audio messages disappear?

iPhone deletes audio messages two minutes after you play them unless you tap Keep. To stop it, go to Settings > Messages > Audio Messages > Expire and choose Never.

Where are WhatsApp voice notes stored on Android?

In Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Media > WhatsApp Voice Notes, as .opus files in dated subfolders.

Do saved voice notes lose quality?

No. Saving to Files or Voice Memos keeps a copy of the original recording.