iOS 18 Notes lets you add audio recordings directly in the app — here's how it works

An audio recording in the Notes app in iOS 18.

With the Notes app adding a built-in recorder tool in iOS 18, it's a lot easier to add an audio recording to one of your notes. And it certainly is a lot more streamlined than the old way of doing things.

In previous versions of Apple's iPhone software, you would make your recording in the Voice Memos app and then share it to a note. All that would do is add an audio file that you could play back. In iOS 18 Notes, not only can you record an audio file directly within the app, but you can get a full transcript of the recording as well. This is particularly helpful for recording lectures and meetings to wind up with a transcript that's both searchable and editable.