reversyHow to reverse audio on iPhone (voice, songs and Voice Memos)
iPhone's built-in apps, including Voice Memos, can't play audio backwards. To reverse audio on iPhone, use a reverse audio app such as Reversy: record your voice or import a file from Files, then tap the Reversed button. To reverse a Voice Memo, save it to Files first and import it. You can then change pitch and speed, loop the clip, and share it as a video or audio file.
Can iPhone reverse audio by itself?
No. Voice Memos, Music and the Files app can trim and play recordings, but none of them has a reverse option. Video editors on iPhone can sometimes reverse the picture, but not the sound on its own.
A reverse audio app fills that gap. It reads the sound sample by sample and writes it out in the opposite order, so the last moment of your clip plays first. Speech turns into the strange, almost-familiar gibberish you hear in reverse singing videos.
Reverse your own voice
The quickest way is to record straight into a reverse audio app. In Reversy, tap the big record button, say or sing something and tap stop. The recording opens in the player with two lanes: the original and the reversed version. Tap the coral Reversed button to hear it backwards and switch to the original whenever you like.
Short clips work best. Two to five seconds, like your name or one line of a song, is long enough to be funny and short enough to recognise.
Reverse a song or audio file
Have an MP3, M4A or WAV file you want to hear backwards? In Reversy, tap Import Audio and pick the file from the Files app or iCloud Drive. It joins your library next to your recordings and plays reversed the same way.
Songs bought or streamed in Apple Music and other streaming apps are copy-protected and can't be imported. Use a file you own or recorded yourself.
Reverse a Voice Memo
Voice Memos doesn't share directly with other apps as a file, so take a short detour through Files:
- In Voice Memos, tap the recording, then tap the … button and choose Save to Files.
- Pick a folder, such as On My iPhone or iCloud Drive.
- In Reversy, tap Import Audio and choose the memo you just saved.
Make it sound even stranger
Once a clip is reversed, try the effects:
| Effect | Range | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Pitch | −12 to +12 semitones | Chipmunk or giant voices, disguising your voice |
| Speed | 0.5×, 1×, 1.5×, 2× | Slowing a reversed phrase down to learn it, or speeding it up for laughs |
| Loop | On or off | Hearing a short phrase again and again |
Share your reversed audio
Tap share on a recording to export it. Reversy makes a vertical 9:16 video with a moving waveform, sized for TikTok, Instagram Reels and Stories, or a plain audio file for messages. You can choose the reversed version, the original, or both one after the other, which is the classic before-and-after format.
Reverse audio on iPhone
- Get a reverse audio app. Download Reversy from the App Store and open it.
- Record or import. Tap record and say something, or tap Import Audio and pick a file from Files.
- Play it backwards. Tap the coral Reversed button in the player to hear the clip backwards.
- Add effects. Change pitch and speed or turn on loop if you like.
- Share it. Tap share and send the clip as a video or audio file, or save the video to Photos.
Questions and answers
Can Voice Memos play audio backwards?
No. Voice Memos has no reverse option. Save the memo to Files, then import it into a reverse audio app such as Reversy.
Can I reverse a song from Apple Music or Spotify?
No. Streaming and Apple Music songs are copy-protected. You can reverse audio files you own, such as MP3, M4A or WAV files in the Files app, or record the sound with the microphone.
Does reversing change the quality of the audio?
No. Reversing only changes the order of the sound, not its quality. Pitch and speed effects are applied while you listen and can be reset at any time.
Is the reversed audio uploaded anywhere?
Not with Reversy. Recording and reversing happen on your iPhone, and clips only leave it when you share them.
Is it free?
Reversy is free to download and use with ads. Listening and effects are free, and a short ad unlocks each new recording, import or share. Reversy Pro removes the ads.