How to Turn a Voice Memo into a Link

You just recorded the perfect voice memo. Maybe it’s feedback for a colleague, a quick note to your partner about what to grab at the store, or an idea you want to share with your team. Now you need to send it. Simple, right?

Wrong.

You open Apple’s Voice Memos app and realize… there’s no “Get Link” button. No shareable URL. Nothing that lets you just drop a link into Slack, email, or a text message the way you would with a Google Doc or a photo album.

This is genuinely frustrating. We live in an era where everything is a link. Why isn’t your voice memo?

Why Voice Memos Don’t Have Shareable Links

Here’s the thing Apple doesn’t want you to think about too hard: Voice Memos was designed as a personal recording tool, not a sharing tool.

When you record something in Voice Memos, it saves locally on your device. Sure, it syncs to iCloud if you have that enabled, but that’s just for backup and accessing your own recordings across devices. Apple never built the infrastructure to host your audio files publicly and generate shareable URLs.

Compare this to something like Google Photos. You take a picture, tap share, and boom—you’ve got a link anyone can open. Google has the server infrastructure to host that content and make it accessible to the world.

Apple’s approach with Voice Memos is more… old school. It treats your recordings like files on a computer from 2005. You can export them. You can AirDrop them. You can attach them to emails. But you can’t just get a link.

Is this a security-conscious choice or just a missing feature? Honestly, probably the latter. Apple simply hasn’t prioritized making voice memos easily shareable via links.

Method 1: Upload to Google Drive (The Most Universal Option)

Google Drive is probably the easiest option because almost everyone has a Google account, and the people you’re sharing with can listen without downloading anything.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Export your voice memo from the Voice Memos app
   • Open Voice Memos on your iPhone or Mac
   • Find the recording you want to share
   • Tap the three dots (•••) next to it
   • Select “Share” from the menu
2. Save to Files app first (if needed)
   • If you don’t see Google Drive as a direct share option, tap “Save to Files”
   • Choose a location in Files (like “On My iPhone” or iCloud Drive)
   • This saves your voice memo as an M4A audio file
3. Upload to Google Drive
   • Open the Google Drive app
   • Tap the + button
   • Select “Upload” and navigate to your saved voice memo
   • Wait for the upload to complete
4. Get the shareable link
   • Find your uploaded file in Google Drive
   • Tap the three dots next to it
   • Select “Manage access”
   • Change from “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link”
   • Tap “Copy link”
5. Share the link
   • Paste it anywhere—email, text, Slack, wherever

The Catch

This works, but let’s be real: it’s six steps minimum. And that’s assuming you already have Google Drive set up and signed in. If your recipient doesn’t have a Google account, they might see a warning page before they can play the audio.

Also, your voice memo now lives in your Google Drive forever (or until you remember to delete it), cluttering things up.

Method 2: Upload to Dropbox

Dropbox works similarly to Google Drive and has one advantage: Dropbox links tend to play audio directly in the browser without any login prompts.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Export your voice memo (same as above—use the Share menu and save to Files)

2. Open Dropbox and upload
   • Tap the + button in the Dropbox app
   • Select “Upload files”
   • Navigate to your voice memo and upload it
3. Create a shared link
   • Find the file in Dropbox
   • Tap “Share”
   • Select “Copy link”
4. Send the link
   • Paste wherever you need it

The Catch

You need a Dropbox account (free works fine for this). Same problem as Google Drive—you’re cluttering up your cloud storage with random voice memos that you’ll probably never organize or delete.

Method 3: Use iCloud Drive Links

If you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem and sharing with other Apple users, iCloud Drive can work. But fair warning: this is the most finicky option.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make sure iCloud Drive is enabled
   • Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive
   • Toggle it on if it isn’t already
2. Export your voice memo to iCloud Drive
   • Open Voice Memos
   • Share the recording
   • Save to Files and choose iCloud Drive as the destination
3. Share from the Files app
   • Open the Files app
   • Navigate to iCloud Drive
   • Find your voice memo
   • Tap and hold, then select “Share”
   • Choose “Copy iCloud Link”
4. Send the link

The Catch

iCloud sharing is… temperamental. Sometimes links expire. Sometimes recipients need an Apple ID to access them. Sometimes it just doesn’t work and you get a cryptic error message.

I’ve had iCloud links work perfectly, and I’ve had them fail completely with no explanation. Your mileage will vary.

Method 4: Upload to SoundCloud

If you want your voice memo to be really publicly accessible—like, anyone on the internet can find and play it—SoundCloud is an option. This is overkill for sharing with one person but makes sense if you want to embed the audio somewhere or share widely.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Create a SoundCloud account (if you don’t have one)

2. Export your voice memo to your Files app

3. Upload to SoundCloud
   • Open the SoundCloud app or website
   • Upload your audio file
   • Set privacy to “public” or “private” (private still generates a shareable link)
4. Get the link
   • SoundCloud gives you a track URL automatically

The Catch

SoundCloud is designed for music and podcasts, not quick voice memos. It feels weird uploading a 30-second reminder to a music platform. Also, SoundCloud’s free tier has upload limits.

The Real Problem: All of These Are Workarounds

Let’s step back and acknowledge what’s happening here.

You wanted to share a voice memo. That’s it. A simple, common task that people do every day.

Instead, you’re now:

• Exporting files between apps
• Signing into cloud services
• Configuring sharing permissions
• Managing random audio files in your storage
• Hoping the recipient can access the link without issues

This is absurd. It’s 2024 (edit: 2025!). Sharing audio should be as easy as sharing a photo.

The fundamental issue is that Apple’s Voice Memos app wasn’t built for sharing in a link-first world. And the workarounds—while they work—add friction that kills the spontaneity of voice communication.

Think about it: you recorded a voice memo because it was faster than typing. But now you’re spending more time figuring out how to share it than you would have spent just typing the message. The efficiency gain is gone.

When the Workarounds Make Sense

To be fair, there are situations where uploading to Google Drive or Dropbox is actually the right call:

You’re sharing a polished recording. If you recorded something more formal—like a voice memo that’s essentially a mini-podcast or a detailed message you spent time on—uploading it to cloud storage makes sense. You probably want it saved anyway.

You need the file to live permanently. Cloud storage links tend to be stable and long-lasting. If you need this voice memo accessible for months or years, uploading it somewhere reliable is smart.

You’re already in that ecosystem. If you live in Google Drive for work, adding your voice memo there keeps things organized in one place.

The recipient needs to download it. Some use cases require the actual file, not just a playable link. Cloud storage lets people download easily.

When the Workarounds Don’t Make Sense

But most of the time? The workarounds are overkill:

Quick messages. “Hey, here’s my thoughts on the proposal”—this doesn’t need to live in your Google Drive forever.

Casual sharing. Sending a voice note to a friend or family member shouldn’t require a cloud storage account.

Work communication. When you’re leaving feedback or sharing ideas with colleagues, you want speed, not file management.

Anything time-sensitive. If the message matters now but won’t matter in a week, why clutter your storage with it?

Tips for Less Painful Voice Memo Sharing

If you’re stuck with the workaround methods, here are some tips to make life easier:

Create a Dedicated Folder

Make a “Voice Memos to Share” folder in Google Drive or Dropbox. Keep everything in one place, and periodically delete old ones you no longer need.

Use Shortcuts (iOS)

Apple’s Shortcuts app can automate some of this. You can create a shortcut that takes a voice memo, uploads it to Google Drive, and copies the link to your clipboard. It’s still multiple steps, but at least they happen automatically.

Consider Alternative Recording Apps

Some third-party voice recording apps have built-in sharing features. Apps like Otter.ai (which also transcribes) or some podcast recording apps generate links natively. Might be worth exploring if you share voice recordings frequently.

AirDrop for Apple-to-Apple

If you’re sharing with someone nearby who has an iPhone or Mac, AirDrop is genuinely fast and easy. No links needed—the file just appears on their device. It’s the one sharing method Apple actually nailed.

The Future of Voice Sharing

Voice messages are having a moment. WhatsApp, iMessage, Slack, Instagram DMs—everyone’s adding voice message features because people love the expressiveness of audio.

But there’s a gap between “voice messages inside an app” and “shareable voice links that work anywhere.” Voice messages in WhatsApp are great, but you can’t share them outside of WhatsApp. Voice Memos records great audio, but you can’t link to it.

The ideal is obvious: record audio, get a link, share it anywhere. No walled gardens. No export-upload-share dance. Just a URL that anyone can click and listen.

That’s where things are heading, and that’s what we’re building with the Voice Notes extension. But even if you don’t use our tool, keep an eye on this space. The friction of voice sharing today won’t last forever.

Wrapping Up

Turning a voice memo into a link is possible, but Apple doesn’t make it easy. Your options are:

1. Google Drive — Most universal, works for almost everyone
2. Dropbox — Clean playback experience, no account needed for listeners
3. iCloud Drive — Works best for Apple-to-Apple sharing, but less reliable
4. SoundCloud — Good for public sharing, overkill for personal messages

All of these require exporting your voice memo, uploading it to a service, configuring sharing settings, and copying the link. It works, but it’s friction you shouldn’t have to deal with.

If you share voice recordings regularly, consider tools that generate links automatically—like our Voice Notes extension. Life’s too short for the export-upload-share dance.