The most common cause is Sound Recognition being on, which gets in the way of audio recording, while other possible causes include bugs in the Messages app, old iOS versions, connection problems, or iMessage setup issues. If you see the error while messaging an iMessage user, try the steps below.
1. Check iMessage Network Status
Start by checking iMessage’s service status. If Apple’s iMessage servers are having issues, audio messages may fail to send. Visit Apple’s official System Status webpage to check the status of its services. Distinguishable by color, a non-green iMessage status suggests there are ongoing issues. If iMessage is down, you’ll need to wait until Apple resolves the outage before audio messages will work again.
2. Check iMessage Phone Number
An incorrect phone number linked to iMessage can also cause this error—especially if you recently changed numbers and iMessage is still using the old one.
3. Disable Sound Recognition
Sound Recognition can interfere with recording or sending voice messages because it constantly listens for specific sounds, which can block other audio features.
4. Restart iMessage
If iMessage isn’t working correctly, restarting it can refresh the connection and clear temporary glitches.
5. Update iOS
Outdated iOS versions can sometimes cause iMessage issues, leading to errors like “Cannot send audio messages at this time.”
6. Reset iPhone
If nothing else works, resetting your iPhone can clear deeper software issues that may be blocking audio messages. Back up your important data before you reset, as a factory reset erases everything on your device. Follow our guide on how to back up your iPhone for help. If you’re still having trouble with iMessage, contact the official Apple support team for further assistance.
