In today’s digital age, communication has become more diverse and engaging than ever before. One form of communication that has gained popularity is voice messaging. Platforms like Facebook Messenger provide users with the ability to send and receive voice messages, adding a personal touch to conversations. However, what happens when you receive a memorable or important voice message that you want to keep?
In this step-by-step guide, I will explore how to download a voice message from Messenger and ensure that it is safely stored for future reference.
Why download a voice message from Messenger?
Voice messages convey emotions, tones, and nuances that text messages often lack. They capture the speaker’s voice, adding a personal and authentic touch to conversations. Downloading a voice message from Messenger allows you to preserve and cherish a moment, whether it’s a heartfelt message from a loved one, an important piece of information, or a funny anecdote that you want to revisit. Having a downloaded voice message gives you the freedom to listen to it at any time, even if it gets deleted from the Messenger chat.
Downloading voice messages requires chat history download
Before you can download a voice message from Messenger, it’s important to understand that voice messages are part of the chat history. To download a specific voice message, you’ll need to download the entire chat history from Messenger. This step is necessary because voice messages are stored within the context of the conversation.
How to download a voice message from Messenger?
As I mentioned a moment ago, to download a voice message from Messenger, you need to download the entire chat archive from the specific day. There is no option to select a single audio message. Downloading a voice message from Messenger is possible using the Facebook application. Below, I present a step-by-step guide on how to do it.
- Open the Facebook app on your mobile device.
- Tap the three-line icon (menu) located on the top left corner.
- Tap the gear icon (Settings & Privacy) on the top right corner.
- Scroll down to the “Your Information” section and click on “Download your information”.
- In the newly opened window, select “Request a Download”.
- Next, click on “Select types of information”.
- Checkmark “Messages” and click “Next”.
- Under the “Date Range” section, set the date for the day when the voice message was sent. Choosing a smaller date range is recommended to avoid unnecessary messages. Then click the blue “Submit Request” button. The file containing messages from the selected day (including the voice message) should be prepared within a short time. However, Facebook notes, that in some cases, this process might take longer. You’ll also receive a notification on Facebook when the message file is ready for download.
- Once the message file is ready for download, log in to Facebook from your computer,
- click the notification bell icon (notifications) in the upper right corner, and click the notification indicating the availability of your file (Your Meta information is ready to download)
- Now, click the “Download” button and wait for the file to download to your computer’s storage.
- Extract the downloaded folder using a zip file extraction program. If you don’t have one, download 7-Zip.
- Open the folder “messages,” and then “inbox”. You will see that chat folders with individual contacts are sorted alphabetically.
- Find the chat with the contact with whom you exchanged voice messages. Open the folder containing messages from that person, and after that open the “audio” folder.
- Inside it, you’ll find the voice message saved in mp4 format. You can play and listen to it at any time.
Preserving downloaded voice messages – store them in the cloud!
Downloading a voice message is just the first step in ensuring its long-term preservation. To avoid losing the downloaded voice message due to device issues or accidental deletion, consider storing it in the cloud. Cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud provide a secure and convenient way to store and access your voice messages from any device. Simply upload the downloaded voice message to your preferred cloud storage platform, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that it’s safely backed up.
Conclusion
Downloading a voice message from Messenger allows you to capture and relive meaningful moments. With this guide, you can easily save voice messages and store them for future enjoyment. Remember to download the entire chat history to access specific voice messages, and take advantage of cloud storage solutions to ensure their preservation. Whether it’s a message from a friend, family member, or colleague, downloading and safely storing voice messages adds a personal touch to your digital communication experience.
