This is very frustrating and hope that Apple can fix this up for everyone. I will send through my findings to Apple to get this fixed.

The fix

1. Install ffpmeg ([link to Audacity’s walkthrough for macOS])(https://support.audacityteam.org/basics/installing-ffmpeg#macos)

2. Find the file location. In Finder you can go to Go → Go to Folder… and paste in “~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.VoiceMemos.shared/Recordings/"

3. Find the recording. It will be in year-month-day (YYYYMMDD e.g. 20260501 for May 1 2026) and unique ID format

4. Open Terminal.app (you can Spotlight search it, or in Finder go to Applications → Utilities → Terminal

5. Copy and paste: ffmpeg -I and ensure one single space is after it

6. Drag and drop your file, and ensure one single space is after it

7. Copy and paste -map 0:a:0 -c:a copy ~/Desktop/Audio.m4a

8. It will now end up looking something like this:
   ffmpeg -i /Users/[Your User Name]/Library/Group\ Containers/group.com.apple.VoiceMemos.shared/Recordings/[The File].qta -map 0:a:0 -c:a copy ~/Desktop/Audio.m4a

9. Before clicking return on keyboard, understand what the command is that you’re running:

   • ffmpeg -i [The File].qtaputs the .qta file as the input
   • map 0:a:0: finds the first audio stream from the first input file
   • c:a copy: copies the audio with no encoding (no data loss and the same as “copy and pasting” a file)
   • Audio.m4a: the output file made into .m4a container

10. Click return on your keyboard and it will save a file called “Audio.m4a” to your Desktop.

The issue

The data is not corrupt but just unplayable (as I was aware as the binary was still there). The issue is the qta file is a QuickTime container with a moov atom (the metadata that tells apps how to read the file) was sitting at the end of the file, rather than at the front. Apple’s apps expect it there and handle it fine, but the ftyp was set to qt which causes an issue with both Apple and third-party apps/players. Everything is still there in the file, the AAC stereo file, the Spatial Audio data, the duration, and even the title of the file. This command only copies the audio from the file it’s been provided with to an AAC LC stereo stream (i.e. no Spatial Audio, though could be done with tinking the command).

I have been unable to find an answer for iOS or iPadOS as it does not expose the raw file like it does such on macOS.

And to address the asterisk in the title: As explained, it is not a corrupt file, it is just not handled correctly and the system will think it is corrupt.

Artwork

Tracklist:

1. Pulse
2. Dissolve Me^$
3. Everything Is Fine
4. Happier Now
5. Flowerbed
6. Back in My Ways^$
7. Spellbound
8. III at Ease
9. Live by the Sword
10. Everyone I've Ever Been
11. Fragile Hands
12. Separate

^$ = Available to stream and purchase on Friday, 8 May

Artwork

Tracklist:

1. Wheelie For No One
2. Nightjar^$
3. I See You And Realize^$
4. My Hand Is A Curtain
5. I'm Up, I'm Up
6. Pieces
7. Little Bees Don't Bite
8. Ultrasensitive
9. Off Into the Lonesome Sky
10. Spade Head

^$ = Available to stream and purchase on Thursday, May 7

Edit: Source via Apple Music

I was a bit skeptical about posting this as I at first thought it was fake (e.g. the artwork, the release date being 3 weeks away, no record label, track 3 not sounding like Austin)… however researching some references it now seems very likely to be real^*. The record label is noted as “Community Music” which can indicate a self-release label (which it now as per one of their recent posts on Instagram)

^* = e.g. Presale code for a show/tour was “NIGHTJAR”, some other post featuring track lengths to two songs (however I must note that the second listing length time that was shared does not match up)

Artwork

Tracklist

1. Good Fortune
2. I Can See You From Here
3. Halcyon Blues
4. Is It In My Brain?
5. Always the Last One to Leave
6. Either Way
7. Matador
8. Ether
9. Smooth Talker
10. Highs and Lows ^$
11. Anne

^$ = To be released on Tuesday, 28 April