How do I make voice notes?

To make voice notes on your phone, use the built-in recorder. On iPhone, open Voice Memos and tap the red button. On Android, the Recorder app does the same. In WhatsApp or iMessage, hold the mic icon in the chat to create a voice note you send directly.

That covers audio. The upgrade is deciding what the note is for. Notes you send can stay audio. Notes for yourself, ideas, reminders, meeting thoughts, are worth capturing as text, because you can search text and skim it months later.

For those, skip the recorder: dictate straight into your notes app and the note arrives written.

That is the voice to text notes workflow, and it beats a pile of unlabeled audio.