Discord has finally added voice messages

Image for Discord has finally added voice messages
(Image credit: Discord)

In an official post on April 14, Discord revealed that all users of the mobile app can now send voice recordings up to 20 minutes long in DMs and on servers. While the messages can be listened to on desktop, the ability to record and send is limited to the mobile app.

It works pretty much like the voice message functions in Signal, WhatsApp, or any other mobile instant messenger: there's a new microphone icon to the right of the text field⁠—just hold it down and you're off to the races. My thoughts were consumed with how this could be applied to good natured jokes and japes, but the blog post also helpfully outlined how you can prevent abuse of this feature.

You can report voice messages just like normal ones, and there are also options to disable them across a whole server or limit their use by role. I pretty much just use Discord to keep up with old friends or check out the neo-forums of cool indie games (even though we wish they'd stop doing that), but a lot of people seem to like turning their Discord servers into weird, cult of personality digital fiefdoms where they sometimes leak government secrets. It makes sense that the company has to account for bad behavior when they roll out a fresh feature.

I decided to test it out myself by reading the text from a screencapped Facebook post I really like (embedded below the article) that I'd previously shared in a group chat with two former coworkers who are now dear friends. Strangely, they didn't respond to the image in question when I first sent it, and I hoped my vocal performance would get more love. "Decided to change it up a little for the holiday," I intoned. "Hot dog mac 'n cheese sushi."

"And before you snobs start asking," I clarified, "Yes! The hot dogs are raw." It is sushi after all. My voice message similarly received no heat, not one react or "haha" in response. It goes to show that no matter how many features Discord rolls out, they can't fix fake friends.

image of "hot dog mac n cheese sushi" explaining that the hot dogs in question are, in fact, raw

(Image credit: Facebook)
Associate Editor

Ted has been thinking about PC games and bothering anyone who would listen with his thoughts on them ever since he booted up his sister's copy of Neverwinter Nights on the family computer. He is obsessed with all things CRPG and CRPG-adjacent, but has also covered esports, modding, and rare game collecting. When he's not playing or writing about games, you can find Ted lifting weights on his back porch.

Read more
Discord key art showing a man handing a a scroll to the Discord mascot, but there's a mute symbol over the mascot's head.
Discord finally adds an Ignore feature so you can gently silence someone's rancid vibes
New Discord desktop client themes.
Discord drops big update with 'completely new' in-game overlay and new dark themes for the desktop client
Discord Social SDK
Your Discord friends list may soon appear directly in the games you play
Windows 98 - A customer looks at a box in Japan
This third-party retro UI for Discord looks like—and even runs on—Windows 98
The new TeamSpeak overhaul.
TeamSpeak could finally be so back, since it can't stop teasing a new makeover while sneakily encouraging you to delete your Discord account
discord
Brace yourself for Discord to get worse: Reports swirl that the company is in talks with bankers about opening itself up to shareholders
Latest in Platforms
A screenshot from game Mudborne of a little humanoid frog in a marsh
Five new Steam games you probably missed (March 24, 2025)
midnight murder club
Five new Steam games you probably missed (March 17, 2025)
Screenshot of Children of Clay showing a mysterious clay model
Five new Steam games you probably missed (March 10, 2025)
discord
Brace yourself for Discord to get worse: Reports swirl that the company is in talks with bankers about opening itself up to shareholders
The Spy from Team Fortress 2 holds up a folder with an accusatory expression.
Steam users react ecstatically to update that lets them access their heaving game notes via the web, also it fixes Monster Hunter Wilds video recording
HasanAbi
Twitch streamer Hasan Piker suspended after saying Republicans would 'kill Rick Scott' if they really cared about Medicare fraud
Latest in News
Napster client circa 1999
Former music-pirating platform Napster to be reborn rather ironically as a metaverse for musicians to connect with their fans after $207 million deal
The snazzy red and black HyperX Cloud Alpha wireless headphones float in a teal void. The microphone is attached to the headset.
The best wireless gaming headset is now even better in the Amazon Big Spring Sale, boasting a more than $50 discount
A chip being held up in an Intel fab
Intel is reportedly 'working to finalize commitments from Nvidia' as a foundry partner, suggesting gaming potential for the 18A node
Amazon box
Don't panic! The 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' option Amazon just removed was only used by 0.03% of customers and they can still have it
Digital generated image of people surrounded by interactive transparent and glowing panels with data. Visualising smart technology, blockchain and artificial intelligence
Now I shall demand the cookies! Proposed new browsing agreement turns the tables and lets users dictate terms to websites
Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger, with a 18A SRAM test wafer
Former Intel CEO, Pat Gelsinger becomes executive chairman of a 'Technology Platform Connecting the Faith Ecosystem' to work on Christian AI using DeepSeek