How to make a short telephone hold message

A caller on hold should quickly hear that they have reached the right place and what to do next. A short, clear message is easier to understand than a long announcement, especially over a phone connection.

Record your voice with a phone or computer recorder, then use the Audio Editor to trim the recording, add optional music, and export an audio file. Check your phone system's accepted format before you finish.

Make the hold message

1. Open the Audio Editor and prepare a voice recording. Keep it to one or two useful sentences. For example: “Thanks for calling Northside Dental. Please stay on the line, and we’ll be with you shortly.”
2. Record in a quiet room. Place the microphone about 6 to 8 inches from your mouth, speak at a steady pace, and leave a short pause before and after the words. Save the recording somewhere you can find it.
3. Open the voice recording in the editor. Listen from beginning to end, then cut off handling noise, long pauses, or mistakes. Keep a little silence around the speech so it does not sound abruptly clipped.
4. If you want background music, add a music file on a separate track. Keep it much quieter than the voice, and make sure it does not cover important words. Use music you have permission to use on your phone system.
5. Listen to the beginning and ending, adjust them if needed, and export as WAV or MP3. Give the file a clear name, such as hold-message-final.wav, and keep the original voice recording until the phone system plays the finished version correctly.

Choose the right message and sound

Keep the words brief

Aim for one helpful update, not a list of everything your organization offers. Say your business name, acknowledge the caller, and give a simple instruction or expectation. Avoid promising an exact wait time unless you can keep it accurate.

Decide whether to include music

Music is optional. A voice-only message can be easier to understand, particularly for callers using a speakerphone or a poor connection. If you add music, choose a simple instrumental section without sudden changes, lyrics, or a strong beat that competes with speech.

Make the loop feel natural

Some phone systems repeat a recording while callers wait. Ask whether yours loops the whole file, plays it once, or inserts a prompt between repeats. If the whole file repeats, leave a brief pause after the message and avoid an ending that sounds like a final goodbye. The system may add its own silence or announcement, so check its instructions before building those into your audio.

Match the phone system's file requirements

WAV and MP3 are available export choices in the Audio Editor, but that does not mean every phone system accepts both. Confirm the required format, sample rate, channel count, and maximum file size with your phone administrator or provider. Do not guess these settings: an unsupported file may fail to upload or play.

Fix common problems

1. Record closer to the microphone. If the voice sounds distant, move the microphone closer and speak toward it. Keep a consistent distance, and avoid speaking directly into the mic if that creates sharp bursts on words beginning with P or B.
2. Lower the music or remove it. If you have to strain to hear the words, reduce the music level or use a voice-only recording. Check the message on headphones and through a phone speaker, since small speakers can make background sound harder to separate.
3. Record a fresh take if the sound is distorted. Distortion often means the recording level was too high or the microphone was too close. Speak at a normal volume and leave some space between the microphone and your mouth rather than trying to fix a badly distorted take with editing.
4. Allow microphone access in the recorder app. On iPhone, check Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone. On Android, check Settings › Apps › [recorder app] › Permissions › Microphone; the wording can vary by device. On Windows 11, check Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone. On macOS, check System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone.
5. Check the exported file on the phone system. If it will not upload or play, compare its format and other requirements with the provider's instructions. If it uploads but sounds too quiet or unclear, adjust the recording or mix, export again, and test the new file through an actual phone connection.

Check the finished message before using it

Listen once with headphones to catch edits, clicks, or background noise. Then listen through a phone speaker or make a test call, because telephone playback can sound different from the original recording. Confirm that the business name and instruction are easy to understand, and that the message begins and ends cleanly when repeated.

The Audio Editor works in your browser, and the audio files you open stay on your device.