To loop a voice memo, export the recording as an audio file and open it in a player with a repeat function. On iPhone or Android, VLC is an option; on a Mac, QuickTime Player has a Loop command. You do not need an Apple Music subscription.
Updated October 29, 2026: replaced the discontinued Google Play Music method, removed the unsupported iPhone “Save to Music” instructions, and checked the workflows against official documentation. These are documentation-based instructions, not tests on each device.
Which method should you use?
| Device | Method | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone | Export to Files, then open in VLC and repeat the current item | Your recording and VLC for iOS |
| Android | Open the audio in VLC and use Auto repeat | A saved audio file |
| Mac | Open the recording in QuickTime Player and choose View → Loop | An exported recording |
| Windows | Open the saved file in VLC and enable repeat for the current item | A local audio file and VLC |
Apple’s Voice Memos playback guide describes its playback controls without a loop command. Exporting lets you use a player designed for continuous playback.
Loop a voice memo on iPhone
- In Voice Memos, select the recording and open More Actions → Share.
- Choose Save to Files, select a folder and save. If export options are shown, use Rendered for ordinary playback rather than an editable project.
- In VLC, open Network → Local files and select the saved recording.
- Use the playback repeat control and select repetition of the current item. The position and appearance of this control can vary by version.
Apple documents the export to Files; VideoLAN documents opening a local file in VLC for iOS. VLC’s official iOS source includes the repeat-one and repeat-all options.
Do not look for a universal “Save to Music” command in the iPhone share sheet. That was an unsupported step in the older version of this article.
Loop a recording on Android
Save or share the recording from your recorder app, then open that audio file in VLC. Expand the audio player and use Auto repeat to repeat playback.
To repeat just part of a recording, use More Options → A–B repeat, then set the start and end points. These are different tasks: repeating the full recording does not require selecting an A–B segment. See the official VLC Android audio player guide.
Google Play Music is no longer a usable method. Google announced its replacement by YouTube Music in 2020.
Loop a recording on a Mac
Export or save the recording, then:
- Open QuickTime Player.
- Choose File → Open File and select the audio.
- Choose View → Loop, then play the recording.
Apple documents continuous looping in QuickTime Player. You can use the same menu to turn looping off.
Loop a recording on Windows
Download VLC from VideoLAN, open your saved recording and enable repeat for the current item. Check that you are repeating the recording rather than an entire playlist. The exact icon placement depends on your VLC version.
If the recording is still on your phone, first follow our iPhone-to-PC transfer guide.
If the recording will not loop
- The file is missing: check where you saved the export; your player may not have access to the recorder’s private library.
- A different item plays next: choose repeat-one rather than repeat-all.
- The file will not open: export a rendered audio file again instead of sharing an editable project.
- You only need a sentence repeated: use an A–B segment where the player supports it.
Keep the original recording until you have checked that the exported copy plays correctly.