Open a voice memo from the Action button.
Assign Voice Memo to the iPhone Action button to open the memo screen and request voice input. Finish initial setup and voice preparation, check the transcript, then send. Confirm email receipt and Obsidian saving at their respective destinations.
Just speak, or type what you thought of
Buy milk on the way home.
- 1Hold the Action buttonRun the assigned shortcut. Follow any unlock or authentication prompt.
- 2Check recordingRecording starts when preparation is complete. First use needs permission and model preparation.
- 3SpeakCheck the transcription on screen.
- 4Review and sendCorrect the text if needed, then send. Check email receipt and vault saving separately.
- 5Check the destinationConfirm the text in your inbox or configured note.
An illustrative animation of the steps. The numbers indicate order, not measured time. Recording, typing and checking delivery take different amounts of time under different conditions.
Assign Voice Memo to the Action button or Back Tap. This shortcut requests voice input itself; the setting for auto-starting on a normal app launch is optional. You need a supported device and language on iOS 26 or later, completed initial setup, microphone and speech permission, and a ready language model.
Fewer repeated steps, with preparation first
This entry avoids finding the app icon and microphone each time. Launching, speaking, correcting text, network conditions and destination availability still take time.
Check each delivery result
An empty editor alone does not confirm email receipt or a vault write. Check the route you configured.
| Route | Settings and conditions | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Verified recipient and connectivity. Offline queued items retry later. | Inbox, spam folder and app history. | |
| Email and Obsidian | Email conditions plus Obsidian integration and a configured destination. Routes include writing to a selected folder and opening Obsidian to pass the text. | Check email receipt and the target note separately. |
| Obsidian only | Premium to enable the mode, a selected vault folder and a passing write test. Keep integration and folder settings, and check that the mode is active before sending. | Target note and app history. Email is suppressed while the mode is active. Disabling integration, losing the folder setting or an unavailable mode can return sending to the email route. |
| Obsidian on another device | Your chosen sync setup, separate from writing to the local vault. | Open the same note on the other device and check the text. |
Four ways to trigger it — pick one
The app publishes a "Voice Memo" shortcut to iOS, so there's no recipe to build in the Shortcuts app — it simply appears in the assignment lists.
On a supported iPhone equipped with an Action button.
Set up and check the first memo
- A device and language supported for voice input on iOS 26 or later. Back Tap support by itself does not establish voice input support.
- Completed app setup and a verified recipient when using email.
- Microphone and speech permission, and any required language-model preparation.
- Assign the trigger
iPhone Settings → Action Button → Shortcut → Choose a Shortcut → Voice Memo. On a supported phone without an Action button, assign it under Settings → Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap. - Prepare voice input once
Open the app, complete initial setup, then tap the microphone to grant permission and prepare the model. First use can take longer than a few seconds. - Try one short memo
Hold the button, check that recording has started, and say a short sentence. Review the text before sending, then check email receipt or the configured vault note. - Optional: auto-start on a normal launch
To start recording when opening the app from its icon too, enable Auto-start voice input on launch under Settings → Voice Input & Sound. It is not required just to use the Voice Memo shortcut.
If Voice Memo is missing from the list, open the app, complete initial setup and reopen the shortcut picker. If the editor opens without recording, check iOS and language support, microphone and speech permission, and model preparation. If the memo is missing at its destination, check history, connectivity, email verification and the vault folder.
Holding your phone or watching the screen while driving or riding is illegal and dangerous in Japan (distracted cycling has been penalized since Nov 2024). Stop somewhere safe first. See hands-free voice memo for how to use it on the move.
FAQ
Does it always take five seconds?
No. The earlier five-second wording was based on one short voice-entry example. It does not guarantee setup, permissions, model preparation, authentication, longer speech, editing, email receipt or cross-device sync times. This update does not newly benchmark every route on the current app.
What if my iPhone has no Action button?
Assign Voice Memo to Back Tap, or use a supported widget or Siri entry. Voice input still needs a supported device and language on iOS 26 or later. Back Tap on an older iPhone does not by itself make voice input available.
Do I need to build my own shortcut?
No, when the app-provided Voice Memo shortcut is available. Complete initial app setup, then assign it in iPhone settings.
Is auto-start voice on launch required?
Not for the Voice Memo shortcut: this entry requests voice input itself. Use Auto-start voice input on launch (Settings → Voice Input & Sound) if you also want voice to start when opening the app normally. Both routes still need support, permissions and a prepared model.
Where does the text go?
Voice transcription happens on device. Review the text and send it through your configured email or Obsidian route. Email receipt and vault saving are separate results. Obsidian-only mode suppresses email while active, but disabling integration, losing the folder setting or an unavailable mode can return sending to the email route. Check the current destination and mode before sending, then confirm the actual text at the destination.
What if I misspeak?
Read the text and correct it with the keyboard before sending. Repeating a sentence does not necessarily replace the earlier text. After an interruption, reopen the app and check whether the draft is present.
Related Pages
References
- Apple — Use Back Tap on iPhone — Apple's official guide to Back Tap
- Apple — App Intents — Official docs for how apps publish shortcuts to the system
- National Police Agency — Ban on distracted driving — Japan NPA — official info on the ban on phone use while driving
- Apple — Run shortcuts with the Action button