Corrupted Voice Memos file.

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Corrupted Voice Memos file.

HI, when I renamed the file, it got corrupted and now won’t play. However, it still shows as an 18-minute recording. Also, I can’t transfer it to my computer to try to restore it. Sharing doesn't work. I tried using iTunes and music synchronization, but since I don’t have music on my phone, none of the voice memo files are visible in iTunes during syncing.

How can you help me?

I reset my phone and restored a previous iCloud backup from when the file was still working. However, only the most recent synchronized version was restored, not the one from the earlier backup. Why didn’t Voice Memos recover from the previous backup? Everything else on my phone reverted to the earlier backup, except for the Voice Memos. (There were two backups available.) Thank you for your help!

iPhone 15 Pro Max

Posted on Mar 10, 2025 10:58 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 25, 2025 2:26 AM in response to Saida_143

It sounds like your renamed Voice Memo file got corrupted and won’t play, and restoring from an iCloud backup didn’t recover the working version. Here’s how to troubleshoot and potentially recover your audio file:

Step 1: Try Basic Fixes

1. Check if the File Exists in iCloud

Open Voice Memos > Tap "Recently Deleted" (if available).

Go to iCloud.com > Check Voice Memos in your account.

2. Force-Transfer the File to a Computer

If AirDrop/email fails, try 3rd-party tools like iMazing (extracts Voice Memos without iTunes sync).

3. Use iTunes (Alternative Method)

Connect iPhone > Open iTunes/Finder > Select your device.

Go to File Sharing > Check if Voice Memos appear under "VoiceMemos" or "On My iPhone".

Step 2: Recover from an Older Backup (If Available)

Since restoring from iCloud didn’t bring back the Voice Memo:

iCloud only restores the latest backup unless you manually select an older one.

Voice Memos sync separately—if they were already corrupted before backup, they won’t restore properly.

How to Extract from an Older Backup

Use iBackup Extractor (free tool) to pull Voice Memos from a specific backup.

Step 3: Repair the Corrupted Voice Memo File

If the file is still on your phone but won’t play, it may be partially corrupted. A specialized tool like 4DDiG File Repair can help:

✅ Repair corrupted audio files (including Voice Memos in .m4a format).

✅ Recover unplayable recordings while preserving audio quality.

✅ User-friendly—no technical skills needed.

📥 Try 4DDiG File Repair:https://4ddig.tenorshare.com/video-error/iphone-video-no-sound.html

(Note: If the file is still on your iPhone, transfer it to a computer first before repair.)

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Corrupted Voice Memos file.