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How to Send Audio, Picture, & Video Messages Faster on Your iPhone in iOS 8

Jun 14, 2014 01:24 AM
Sep 16, 2014 11:43 PM
Person holding a smartphone with a camera recording outdoors.

Texting just got a whole lot better for your iPhone. In iOS 8, you can send an in-the-moment picture or video without exiting the conversation you're in, and you can also send voice messages! Plus, they'll self-destruct, similar to Snapchat.

Audio Recordings

Text messages can't convey your pitch, tone, and most importantly, your sarcasm. Thankfully, we can now send audio recording to express ourselves, right in the Messages app. While in a conversation, hold down the microphone icon, record what you want, then slide up to send it. To cancel the recording just slide to the X icon.

How to Send Audio, Picture, & Video Messages Faster on Your iPhone in iOS 8
Text message conversation screenshot with a keyboard.
Text message conversation on a smartphone screen with a voice message icon.
How to Send Audio, Picture, & Video Messages Faster on Your iPhone in iOS 8
Text message conversation screenshot with a keyboard.
Text message conversation on a smartphone screen with a voice message icon.

It's a great way to express yourself or share an interesting song with someone.

Quick Pics

Now I can send a friend a picture of something I'm looking at while we chat. Yes, you could do it before, but this is much faster. Hold down the camera icon, slide your finger over the shutter icon, then let go. It will instantaneously be sent to your buddy.

Text message conversation displayed on a smartphone with an arrow pointing to the attachment icon.
Lush garden with vibrant flowers and palm leaves.
Text message conversation displayed on a smartphone with an arrow pointing to the attachment icon.
Lush garden with vibrant flowers and palm leaves.

Instant Videos

To send your friend a quick video of something going on in front of you, hold down the camera icon, hold down the recording button, then slide up to send it on its way. Like the audio recording, you can cancel it by sliding over the X.

How to Send Audio, Picture, & Video Messages Faster on Your iPhone in iOS 8
Pink flowers in a potted plant.
How to Send Audio, Picture, & Video Messages Faster on Your iPhone in iOS 8
Pink flowers in a potted plant.

Two-Minute Self-Destruct

By default, the audio, pictures, and video will self-destruct two minutes after being sent. As mentioned by vice president of iOS product marketing Greg Joswiak,"You don't want to have to clean these up. Audio and video messages can take up space, so they're set to self-destruct unless you choose to keep them."

Voice message interface with a 3-second recording and an expiration notice.
Voice message interface with playback controls.
Voice message interface with a 3-second recording and an expiration notice.
Voice message interface with playback controls.

I do appreciate Apple looking out for my memory, but as of now, we are not able to choose the self-destruct time, so maybe an update will enable this ability.

More iOS 8 Tips…

To see what else you can do in Apple's latest mobile operating system, check out the Coolest Hidden Features of iOS 8, as well as the Best Hidden Safari Features, Top Hidden Features in Messages, and our other iOS 8 tips.

Also, follow Gadget Hacks on Facebook and Twitter for more great tips.

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

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