iOS 27: A Guide to Concealing or Swapping the Audio Button in iMessages

Have you ever unintentionally hit the audio button in iMessage while trying to send a text? Justin Bieber recently gained attention on social media for expressing his frustration with this issue.

This inadvertently opens up a voice recording feature, which interrupts any music playing on your iPhone to capture your message. The frequent occurrence of this mishap prompted Bieber to comment, “The send button should not have multiple functions in the same spot,” humorously stating that he would hold Apple accountable until a solution was found.

His post sparked a wave of engagement across social platforms. While it remains unclear if Apple took notice of his concerns, the company has implemented a fix in the latest iOS update. iOS 27 introduces options allowing users to choose between keeping the default audio recording icon, opting for a microphone icon to access dictation quickly, or choosing to display nothing at all.

With the rollout of iOS 27, you can find new settings under Settings > Apps > Messages > Show in Text Field. Here, you can select from three alternatives:

• Record Audio: Ideal for those who frequently send voice messages.
• Start Dictation: Useful for individuals who prefer speaking their texts instead of typing.
• None: The “Bieber” choice for users who rarely utilize audio recording or dictation features.

Once you’ve made your selection, return to iMessages to see the change reflected in the text input area. If it doesn’t appear, simply force quit the app, relaunch it, and it should be visible.

Now even Bieber should find this issue resolved.

Removing the audio button from iMessage does not limit functionality; all features remain accessible.

Here’s how to find them:

• To record voice messages, tap the + (plus) icon next to the text input field and select Audio from the options.
• To dictate a message, tap the microphone icon located near the keyboard’s bottom right. (This feature is typically activated by default, but if missing, you can enable it via Settings > General > Keyboard > Enable Dictation.)

iOS 27 brings several enhancements to iMessage. One enjoyable addition, likely to accommodate the iPhone Duo’s larger screen, is a new Drawing app that allows users to send sketches and handwritten notes, featuring markup tools within iMessage.

Additionally, Apple has introduced an AI feature that can suggest relevant words and phrases, automate tasks in conversations, and even allow users to use a single number across two different iPhones. Furthermore, the messaging platform now boasts improved RCS support, enabling users to edit and unsend messages.