Warming Up to Voice Notes? TikTok Now Lets You Send Them

Though millennials and members of Generation X might still have their reservations, voice notes have skyrocketed in popularity with Gen Z in recent years. Roughly 84% of Gen Z now uses them, according to research, citing potential benefits like building an emotional connection or the ability to explain complex thoughts.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that Gen Z staple TikTok is now adding voice notes as part of its latest set of features. The app now allows users to send voice notes and share up to nine images or videos via DM, either one-on-one or in group chats. The voice notes and videos will be capped at up to one minute each, and users will be able to edit the photos or videos in-message before they send them. The new features are set to roll out over the next few weeks, according to a TikTok spokesperson who spoke to News, who reported the news.

TikTok did mention some of the new safety features in the rollout. Users won’t be able to send a voice note or video they’ve made themselves as their initial message to another user (though they’ll be able to share content that’s already on TikTok). In addition, you’ll need to be over 16 to send DMs in the first place. TikTok has automated systems in place to detect and block images containing nudity automatically-enabled for users in the 16 to 18 age range, and over-18s will be able to toggle these on to avoid receiving inappropriate content.

The short-form video app is actually fairly late to the party when it comes to adding voice notes. Instagram added them all the way back in 2018, while Meta’s WhatsApp added them well over a decade ago, in 2013. But it’s only recently that TikTok has been transitioning into a more full-fledged messaging app. It only added group chat functionality roughly a year ago in mid-2024.

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About Will McCurdy

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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.

I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.

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