How to preserve a loved one’s voice
A saved voicemail, a voice note or a few seconds from an ordinary video can hold the sound of someone exactly as you remember them. You don’t need a studio recording or a perfect message. The small, familiar moments are often the ones people want to keep.
- 1 · Find itLook through old phones, message apps, videos and voicemail. Ask family or friends if they have a recording.
- 2 · Keep the originalSave a copy somewhere safe before editing, trimming or sharing it.
- 3 · Choose with carePick a short moment that sounds like them, and share it only with the right permissions.
Where might I find a recording?
Start with the places you already keep photos and messages: your phone’s video library, WhatsApp or Messenger voice notes, saved voicemail, and old phones or computers. A video may contain the clearest recording even when the picture itself is not important.
It can also help to ask relatives or friends. Someone else may have kept a birthday message, a short conversation or a clip from an ordinary day. They can send you the original file; they don’t need to edit it first.
Voicemail and message apps differ, so the way to save a recording depends on the device and service. If you find one, save or export it while you still have access, and follow the app or network provider’s instructions. If the recording is on an old phone that no longer works, keep the phone safe and ask a trusted technician before attempting a reset or repair that could erase its contents.
How should I keep the original safe?
Keep the original recording unchanged. Make a second copy in a different safe place, such as a computer and a trusted backup service. Give the file a name you’ll recognise, and note who is in it and where it came from. Avoid relying on a single phone, account or messaging app.
If you want to shorten the recording, work from a copy. That way, you can return to the original later if you change your mind or want a different part.
Can I use the sound from a video?
Yes. The recording may be in an ordinary phone video, even if you only want to keep the sound. Once Spoken’s voice process lets you listen and choose a short section; it uses the audio, not the picture. You can check the current file guidance on the voice recording page.
What should I consider before sharing it?
Think about who can be heard and whether they would be comfortable with the recording being shared. Get permission from the person providing it, and from anyone else who can be clearly heard. If needed, choose a section that leaves other people out.
Keep a private copy of the original, and share only the part you intend people to hear. On Once Spoken, a voice recording is reviewed separately from the memorial, and a clip is not published just because the memorial itself has been approved.
How can I add a voice to a memorial?
If the memorial is already published, its owner can request a private link to add a recording later. If you are creating a memorial, you can choose to add a voice recording during submission or leave it for another day.
Once Spoken is community-supported. A recording is optional; you can read the current steps and choices before deciding what to do.
A few common questions
Do I need to edit or convert the file first?
No. Keep your original safe and use the voice page to check the current file guidance. If you add it through Once Spoken, you can listen to it and select the part you want to keep.
What if I don’t have the recording on my phone?
Ask the person who has it to send you the original file. If it’s on an older device or in an account you can no longer access, avoid deleting or resetting anything; the service provider or a trusted technician may be able to explain your options.
Can I add it after the memorial is published?
Yes. The memorial owner can request a private link from the voice recording page and add the recording later.