WhatsApp is a reliable service for sending messages or calling others over the internet, but sometime your voice message might get distorted, and you won’t hear it clearly.
If your WhatsApp voice message is distorted, the app might be glitching, or you are using it on a phone running outdated software. To fix this issue, force-stop WhatsApp and update your phone software through the “Settings” menu. If you face this problem on the PC, enable the “Noise Suppression” feature for the system microphone.
In this read, we’ll explore why WhatsApp voice message is distorted and discuss easy-to-follow methods to troubleshoot this problem without a hitch.
Why is my voice distorted on WhatsApp?
One of the following might be the reason why your WhatsApp voice message is distorted:
- Outdated phone software or issue with the new version.
- Poor internet speed.
- Corrupt WhatsApp cache data.
- Minor bugs in WhatsApp.
- Outdated sound card driver on the computer.
- Noise suppression is disabled on the PC.
- Issues with phone microphone.
How do I fix my WhatsApp voice glitch?
If your WhatsApp voice message is distorted on your phone, try these 8 step-by-step solutions to get rid of this pesky issue.
Force Stop WhatsApp
The easiest solution to fix the voice message distortion is to force-stop WhatsApp on your phone and re-open it. Here’s how:
Android:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Apps.”
- Tap “All Apps.”
- Select “WhatsApp.”
- Tap “Force Stop.”
iPhone:
- Swipe up on your iPhone home screen to access the recently used apps.
- Scroll right to find the WhatsApp preview card.
- Swipe up on the WhatsApp preview card to force close it.
Check Internet Connection
An unstable internet connection is often the culprit behind distorted or slow voice message playback on WhatsApp.
To fix this:
- Turn on and off the Airplane mode to refresh the network connection on your phone.
- Switch to Wi-Fi network from mobile data or do the opposite.
- Reboot your router/modem.
- Close all unnecessary apps running in the background to reduce network congestion.
- Update the router’s firmware to the latest version.
- Reset the network settings on your phone to clear misconfigurations or conflicting settings causing internet connectivity issues.
- Reach out to your ISP and upgrade your plan or inquire about any issues at their end.
Update Phone Software
An outdated phone software sometimes causes compatibility issues with WhatsApp and leads to audio issues.
Therefore, keep your phone firmware updated with the steps given below:
Android:
- Head to “Settings.”
- Tap “Software Update” or “System Update.”
- Tap “Download and install” or “Check for system/software updates.”
- Select “Download Now” if available.
iPhone:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “General.”
- Tap “Software Update.”
- Tap “Install Now” if available.
After updating your phone to the latest version, open WhatsApp and see if this fixes your voice message audio problems.
IMPORTANT: If you have recently updated your Android to the latest version, it might be causing compatibility problems with WhatsApp audio. Your best bet is to wait for the OS developers to resolve this issue or downgrade your phone to the previous version.
Clear WhatsApp Cache
Although corrupt cache data is not the direct cause of the issue, it often restricts to process and play audio files correctly on your phone, leading to audio distortion on voice messages or calls cut out in the middle.
In such a case, it’s best to clear the WhatsApp cache data this way:
Android:
- Open “Settings.”
- Tap “Apps.”
- Select “All Apps.”
- Choose “WhatsApp.”
- Tap “Storage.”
- Tap “Clear Cache.”
- Select “Clear Data.”
- Tap “OK.”
iPhone:
- Go to “Settings.”
- Tap “General.”
- Select “iPhone Storage.”
- Tap “WhatsApp.”
- Choose “Offload App.”
- Tap “Offload App.”
Afterward, launch WhatsApp, and listen to a voice message to verify the fix.
Update WhatsApp
An outdated Whatsapp version installed on your phone might be corrupt and glitches, resulting in performance issues like distorted voice messages or slow call sound.
The workaround here is to update WhatsApp by following these simple instructions:
- Open “App Store” / “Play Store.”
- Search for “WhatsApp.”
- Tap “Update.”
Now re-open WhatsApp, hear a voice message and see if you can hear everything clearly.
Use Rear Mic on OnePlus
A few users using the OnePlus phone complain about distorted WhatsApp voice messages. The real reason is that this phone has three mics:
- One on the back next to the camera.
- The second is on the bottom ridge near the right speaker.
- The third is on the top ridge.
Each of these mics has a different purpose, and WhatsApp is supposed to use the bottom one. But somehow, the app activates the mic on the back of the phone.
So to fix the distortion in your WhatsApp voice messages, speak to the back microphone, and you’ll notice a significant increase in the volume.
Enable Noise Suppression
Some users report that enabling the voice suppression feature helps them fix the voice message distortion issue while using WhatsApp on a computer. For this:
- Open “Control Panel.”
- Click “Hardware and Sound.”
- Click “Sound.”
- Go to “Recording.”
- Right-click the system microphone.
- Go to “Properties.”
- Click “Enhancement.”
- Uncheck “Noise Suppression.”
- Click “Apply.”
If the Enhancement tab is unavailable, go to the “Levels” tab, adjust the Microphone Boost, and check if this fixes the voice message distortion on WhatsApp.
Update Sound Card Driver
If you are listening to your voice messages using WhatsApp Web or the Desktop app, the outdated PC sound card driver can be the source of distortion.
You can fix this glitch by simply updating the sound card in the following way:
- Press the “Win+X” keys.
- Select “Device Manager.”
- Click “Sound, Video, and Game Controllers.”
- Right-click the audio driver.
- Click “Update Driver.”
- Click “Search Automatically For Drivers.”
- Wait for the driver to update and restart your PC to complete the process.
NOTE: If your computer cannot find the latest audio driver for your sound card, visit the manufacturer’s website to download the bug-free driver.
Now, launch WhatsApp Desktop or open the Web app, and hopefully, your voice messages won’t get distorted now.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve discussed why your WhatsApp voice message is distorted on your phone or computer and what steps you can take to resolve this issue quickly.
With these solutions at your disposal, you can now receive or send crystal-clear voice messages on WhatsApp.