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Send files, voice notes and AI-written replies

Add more than text to a reply in the WhatsApp inbox. At the end, you can send a file or picture with a caption, record and send a voice message from your phone, speak a reply instead of typing it, and have AI draft or polish your words.

Before you start

  • You can see Inbox in the WhatsApp panel and a chat is open. See Use the WhatsApp inbox.
  • The chat is inside the 24-hour window. Outside it, WhatsApp delivers only approved templates. See Use the WhatsApp inbox.
  • To use Rephrase with AI and Help me write, your organisation has an AI provider set up. [VERIFY: where this is switched on]

Where the buttons are

Layout Where you find them
Computer The toolbar above the reply box has Saved replies, Emoji, Speak and translate (the microphone), Rephrase with AI and Help me write. Click Add to this message for Document, Photo or video, Template, Emoji, Bold, Italic, Strikethrough and Schedule this reply.
Phone The toolbar scrolls sideways. It has Attach a document, Record a voice message, Attach an image, Emoji, Quick replies ("/"), Send a template, Bold, Rephrase with AI and Help me write. The More menu holds Strikethrough, Voice to text and Schedule this reply.

Steps

Attach a file, picture or video

  1. Open a chat in WhatsApp → Inbox.
  2. Optional: type a caption in the reply box. The text becomes the caption of the file.
  3. On a computer, click Add to this message, then pick Document or Photo or video. On a phone, tap Attach a document or Attach an image.
  4. Choose a file from your device. The same file picker opens for every choice.
  5. Wait while the file uploads. The button shows a spinner until it finishes.
  6. The file is sent to the chat. The reply box clears and the chat scrolls to the new message.

You can also click Attach file or image in the Send Reply menu of the inbox ribbon.

File types you can attach:

  • Pictures: jpg, jpeg, png, webp.
  • Video: mp4, 3gp.
  • Documents: pdf, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, txt, csv.

A caption is sent with pictures, video and documents. You send one file at a time.

Record and send a voice message

Recording a voice message is on the phone layout.

  1. Open a chat on your phone.
  2. Tap the microphone. Its tooltip is Record a voice message.
  3. If your phone asks, allow the microphone. If you refuse, the message Microphone permission was denied. appears.
  4. Speak. A timer counts the seconds.
  5. Tap Stop recording when you are done. Tap Cancel recording to throw it away.
  6. Tap Play preview to listen. Tap Pause to stop. The length of the clip shows beside the buttons.
  7. Tap Send voice message to send it. Tap Discard to delete it.

The voice message goes to the customer as a WhatsApp audio message.

Speak a reply instead of typing it

  1. On a computer, click the microphone in the toolbar. Its tooltip is Speak and translate. On a phone, tap More, then Voice to text.
  2. Allow the microphone if your browser asks.
  3. Speak, then click Stop. On a phone, tap More, then Stop and translate.
  4. Read the text in the reply box. It is written in the language set under Write in, and can be translated for the customer.
  5. Edit the text, then click Send Reply.

This types your words. To send them as a voice note in the customer's language, or to change the languages, see Speak and translate in the inbox.

Draft a reply with AI

  1. Open a chat and click Help me write. The window Help me write opens.
  2. Type a short instruction, for example ask for their delivery address.
  3. Click Generate, or press Enter. A spinner shows while the reply is written.
  4. Read the draft. It fills the reply box and uses the chat as context.
  5. Edit anything you need, then click Send Reply.

Click Cancel to close the window without a draft. An empty instruction does nothing.

Check the draft before you send

AI can get facts wrong. Read the reply and fix prices, dates and promises first.

Rephrase your draft with AI

  1. Type your reply in the reply box.
  2. Click Rephrase with AI. A spinner shows while it works.
  3. Read the new wording. It replaces your draft in the reply box.
  4. Edit it, then click Send Reply.

With an empty reply box, Rephrase with AI does nothing.

Troubleshooting

Issue Cause Fix
Upload failed — the file wasn't sent. The file did not upload. Check your connection, then attach it again.
Upload failed — no file link came back. Try attaching it again. The upload finished without a link. Attach the file again.
Upload failed. The upload hit an error. Try again, or use a smaller file.
The file does not appear in the file picker Its type is not on the list. Convert it to one of the listed types.
Microphone permission was denied. The phone blocked the microphone. Allow the microphone for Ohanvi in your phone settings.
Could not start recording. The recorder could not open the microphone. Close other apps that use the microphone, then try again.
Recording failed. The recording stopped with an error. Record again.
Upload failed — the voice message wasn't sent. The clip did not upload. Check your connection, then record again.
The voice message could not be sent. Please try again. WhatsApp refused the audio message. Try again.
Rephrase with AI or Help me write shows an error The AI provider did not answer. Try again. If it keeps failing, ask your admin.