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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

Voice Memos

65
User verdict / 100 High confidence Divided

Voice Memos by Apple is a highly-rated, free utility for recording audio, praised for its simplicity and usefulness for various purposes, but recent user feedback highlights significant issues with core functionality, file management, and a lack of advanced features.

4.8★ lifetime (1,039,382) Free to download since 2016 by Apple Inc. updated 6.9 mo ago recent negative 9% 120 reviews across 3 regions
Ease of Use (General) Core Functionality Issues Limited Features & Export Audio Quality & Control
5★183
4★34
3★10
2★8
1★15
recent reviews across 3 regions, vs the 4.8★ lifetime average

Voice Memos is a free, pre-installed Apple app designed for simple audio recording. While a large user base highly rates it for its ease of use and versatility, recent reviews indicate a concerning trend of bugs, difficulty with file management, and a desire for more advanced features like transcription and better editing.

What users like

  • Effective for simple voice recording and capturing ideasR1R5R7R33
  • Useful for musicians, singers, and voice actors to practice and recordR5R16R23R33
  • Good for personal use, such as diaries, evidence, or capturing memoriesR20R22R25R28
  • Allows for naming recordings, which is helpful for organizationR1

What users complain about

  • Significant bugs prevent recording or saving memos, especially after updatesR110R114R115R149
  • Difficulty transferring recordings to external storage or other appsR11R43
  • Lacks transcription features, or transcription features are not working for some usersR11R158
  • Poor audio quality, including muffled sound, background noise pickup, and voice alterationR66R91R102R116
  • Missing essential metadata like recording time, only showing dateR107R238
  • Issues with older memos, such as slow downloading or inability to access themR109
  • Recordings are easily deleted accidentallyR123R184
  • Limited editing options, lacking features like cutting specific sections or advanced sound manipulationR59R69R226
  • Some users report unexpected charges or privacy concerns, though these claims are isolatedR186R207

Latest update · v2.6

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

Bug Fixes and Feature Enhancements

Recurring themes

Core Functionality Issues negative
Many recent reviews report critical bugs where the app fails to record, save, or play back memos, with some users experiencing static instead of audio or recordings being deleted. These issues seem to have worsened after recent updates, directly contradicting vague developer notes about 'Bug Fixes'.R110R114R115R149
Limited Features & Export negative
Users express frustration with the app's inability to easily transfer recordings to other apps or external storage. There's a strong demand for transcription features, which are either missing or not working, and more advanced editing capabilities beyond simple trimming.R11R43R59R69
Audio Quality & Control mixed
While some users find the recording quality clear, others report muffled audio, excessive background noise pickup, or the app altering their voice pitch. There's also a desire for features like noise cancellation or the ability to skip silence.R66R91R102R113
Ease of Use (General) positive
Many users praise the app for its simplicity and straightforward recording function, making it accessible for quick notes, practicing, or capturing moments. The ability to name recordings is also appreciated.R1R2R3R4

Who it's for

This app is for users who need a simple, free tool for basic voice recording, such as students, musicians for practicing, or individuals wanting to capture quick thoughts or memories R16R33. It is not for users who require advanced editing, reliable transcription, seamless export to other apps, or consistent bug-free performance R11R43R59R114.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew negative, which contrasts sharply with the lifetime rating. While many positive reviews praise the app's basic functionality, the negative reviews highlight critical issues that seem to have emerged or worsened recently, particularly concerning core recording and saving capabilities. The developer's notes are too vague to address specific user complaints.

Frequently asked

Can Voice Memos transcribe audio to text?
Based on recent reviews, Voice Memos either lacks a transcription feature or it is not functioning for users, with some explicitly stating it is a desired but missing capability R11R158.
Is it easy to transfer recordings from Voice Memos to other apps or storage?
Many users report difficulty transferring recordings from Voice Memos to external storage or other applications, describing the process as 'terrible' or noting that memos are not available to other apps R11R43.
Does Voice Memos reliably record and save audio?
While many users historically found it reliable, recent reviews indicate significant issues where the app fails to record new memos, doesn't save recordings, or recordings play back as static, especially after updates R110R114R115R149.
What editing features are available in Voice Memos?
Voice Memos offers basic editing features like trimming and speeding up or slowing down recordings, but users desire more advanced options such as cutting out specific sections or more sophisticated sound manipulation R59R69R24.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] 5/5 · US Naming is so useful: This is very useful I can name it so I can remember what my recording is about.
  2. [R5] 5/5 · US This is the best app: Perfect for practicing singing recording drama for later and any other things you need. This is literally the best app in my phone.
  3. [R7] 5/5 · US Love it: I love how you can record stuff
  4. [R33] 5/5 · US Really exceptional: I’m a singer songwriter, and instead of taking my videos from my Photos app which I regularly did. I saved my space for my iCloud and I use this amazing app for Voice Memos and it really saves my ideas for songs that just popped into my head at some point or time. And I enjoy using it. Totally recommend!
  5. [R16] 5/5 · US So useful: I use this to record bird songs and my part in song I am learning for the choir.
  6. [R23] 5/5 · US Best ever: It is the best to record your self and u use it to listen to me singing songs or a song I made my self and if you are looking bad that day and just want to listen to you sing use this app
  7. [R20] 5/5 · US Love this app: I love this app it's because you can listen to what you sound like and you don't get judged by other people or other things or just mean people this is why I love that app
  8. [R22] 5/5 · US it is amazing: it helps me get proof of stuff
  9. [R25] 5/5 · US Ff: Great for telling on someone that lied on me
  10. [R28] 5/5 · US This is the best app: Let me expose my brother
  11. [R110] 1/5 · GB Doesn’t work: Does not work on my iPhone 8. Recordings just play back as static noise.
  12. [R114] 2/5 · GB Bug with new iPhone update: Since the new update this week I can’t record new memos. Please fix!
  13. [R115] 1/5 · GB Voice Memos: OMG this app has been RUBBISH. I can't even save any of my voice notes!!! I'm so unhappy with this! You NEED to upgrade this like, now! · translated
  14. [R149] 1/5 · GB Temperamental: Doesn’t always work
  15. [R11] 2/5 · US I use it, when my Pixel isn’t available: It records voice. The next most important feature to me is ease of transferring that to external storage. It’s an Apple product, so: terrible. My next most important feature is transcribing to text, both in real time and for future use, and ease of exporting that to external storage. Again- terrible. But it’s got a microphone and records voice to the pho
  16. [R43] 1/5 · US Only temporary usage: There doesn’t seem to be any way to use the memo since they aren’t available to other apps so naming, transcription and moving are required.
  17. [R158] 3/5 · GB Problem with update: I’ve been using this app for a long time and have been happy with it but the app is not giving me the option to transcribe. I’ve looked in the App Store for an update option but there isn’t one available. Please advise.
  18. [R66] 3/5 · US Works pretty good a little muffled but it works too good and it picks up every little sound.: So I don’t know do you want that? I mean it’s all right.
  19. [R91] 1/5 · US …: I really like voice memos it’s cool ig it’s just I LOVE to sing yk? And it changes my voice so much i lowk hate it. Im not trying to dis the app but if it just let me sound like me Thats would be great!
  20. [R102] 1/5 · GB Unable to access wide spectrum: Unable to access wide spectrum to record ambient noise, noise cancellation, making it difficult to record noise pollution🔊
  21. [R116] 2/5 · GB Reach: It has poor reach to close but far away things ( 65cm )
  22. [R107] 1/5 · GB Does not show time recorded?: Checked my audios which I needed for my own safety but the audio files do not show the time of recording? Only the date? What use is that? Absolutely no point.
  23. [R238] 2/5 · AU Date and time: Date and time needs to be added to the recording function.
  24. [R109] 1/5 · GB Very poor. Some older memos downloading forever very slow to download: Extremely poor quality. Older memos take forever to download
  25. [R123] 3/5 · GB It's okay, but needs improvement: Very easy to use, but it's easy to accidentally delete recordings. · translated
  26. [R184] 1/5 · GB Annoying: It keeps on deleting my voice memos
  27. [R59] 4/5 · US More Editorial options: I wish there was more editing options like not just trimming and speeding up or slowing down but like cutting out bits or something like that. Thanks.
  28. [R69] 4/5 · US Please improve the editing features: User should be able to go to transcript highlight a certain section of text and then click delete or replace or copy or paste
  29. [R226] 3/5 · AU How to change sounds: I want to know how to change the sound that was already in the previous part of the recording say if someone said hello it could repeat that or if someone is playing the piano it could play a note again
  30. [R186] 1/5 · GB I LOST MONEY!: DO NOT USE THIS. IT LOOKS GOOD BUT THE SECOND YOU SEE THIS, IT WILL LEAK YOUR INFO!
  31. [R207] 1/5 · AU Scam be very careful: The app continuously charges me. Some months twice a month. I cancelled it and it still charges me. I am reporting it to my bank to stop the credit card charge.
  32. [R113] 1/5 · GB Voice note: Why did Apple get rid of the feature to skip over silence - it has disappeared with the new upgrade. Bring it back please
  33. [R2] 5/5 · US Good app: It amazing and super good definitely recommend
  34. [R3] 5/5 · US Love it: It's great
  35. [R4] 5/5 · US Nice: Honestly very good
  36. [R24] 4/5 · US AMAZING APP 👍🏻: I LOVE THIS APP SO MUCH I LOVE CREATING MY OWN SONGS AND THEN I CAN EDIT THEM BC I CAN EDIT PARTS IF THE SONG WITH THE APP I GIVE IT FIVE STARS I THING PEOPLE RLLY UNDERESTIMATE THIS APP

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store