Overview
This article explains current capabilities and limitations when handling WhatsApp audio messages (voice notes) in Twilio Flex, including both inbound playback and outbound recording. It also provides recommended workarounds and highlights ongoing feature requests.
Product
Twilio Flex
Environment
Twilio Console
What You Need to Know
Inbound WhatsApp Audio Playback in Flex
Scenario:
When a WhatsApp user sends a voice note (typically as a .ogg file using the Opus codec), the file is delivered to the Flex agent as a media attachment.
Current Behavior:
- The OGG audio file appears as an attachment in the Flex UI.
- Agents cannot play the audio directly within Flex. Instead, they see a message such as “File.ogg file type is not supported.”
- To listen, agents must download the file and play it using an external audio player.
- Flex Insights and conversation history do not provide playback or access to these audio files after the conversation ends.
Workaround:
- Agents should download the OGG file from the Flex UI and use a compatible media player (such as VLC or Windows Media Player) to listen to the voice note.
Feature Request:
- Native in-app playback of audio attachments (including WhatsApp voice notes) is a known feature request. Twilio’s product team is tracking this for future improvements.
Outbound Audio Recording and Sending via WhatsApp
Scenario:
Agents want to record a voice message directly from their microphone within the Flex UI and send it to a WhatsApp customer.
Current Behavior:
- No built-in audio recording or direct voice note sending is available in the Flex UI.
- Agents cannot record and send a WhatsApp voice note from within Flex.
Workaround:
- Agents can record audio using an external application (such as Voice Recorder or QuickTime).
- The recorded audio file can then be uploaded and sent as an attachment in the Flex conversation.
Feature Request:
- Support for in-app audio recording and direct sending of voice notes from Flex to WhatsApp is a requested enhancement and is under consideration by Twilio’s product team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I configure Flex or Conversations to support in-app playback of OGG/Opus files?
Not at this time. There is no configuration or setting to enable native playback of OGG/Opus files in Flex UI.
Are there any supported media types for in-app playback in Flex?
Flex supports image and some document types for inline viewing, but audio files (including OGG/Opus) require download for playback.
Will Flex Insights store and allow playback of WhatsApp audio messages
No, media files are not included in Insights or conversation history for playback.
Conclusion
- Inbound WhatsApp audio messages are delivered as attachments but cannot be played directly in Flex; agents must download them.
- Outbound audio recording is not available in Flex; agents must record audio externally and upload it as an attachment.
- Both features are under consideration for future product updates.
For the latest updates on feature availability, please refer to Twilio’s documentation or product release notes.
Below you will find references to useful documents: