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How a voice message keyring works

PlateFob, 30 October 2026

A voice message keyring is a number plate keyring with up to 30 seconds of your voice on the back. The back shows the message as a sound wave next to a printed QR code. They point a phone camera at the code, the message opens on a web page, and they press Play.

Below is what you do when you make one and what they see when they scan it, then the prices at PlateFob.

The short answer

• What it is: a metal keyring with their reg on the front and your voice message on the back.
• How long the message can be: up to 30 seconds.
• How you add it: record it in the browser, or upload a voice note you already have.
• How they play it: point a phone camera at the QR code on the back, open the link and press Play.
• Whether they need an app: most phone cameras read QR codes with no app.
• What it costs: £25 for one, £39 for two voice fobs, £37 for a voice fob with a plain one.

What is on the fob

The front: their reg

The front is a small copy of their number plate: any UK reg up to seven characters, current or cherished, in the plate font. You can add a side flag on the left edge or leave it plain. The fob is cast metal, 67.1 x 14.3 x 5.5 mm, in chrome, gold or black.

It is a keyring and can't be used on a car.

The back: a sound wave and a code

The back carries two things. One is a sound wave drawn from your recording, so the shape of what you said is on the fob before anyone plays it. The other is a QR code, and that is the part that does the work: it holds the address of the page on our site where your message is.

The fob itself has no speaker or battery. The sound plays from the phone that scans it.

Making one: record or upload

You make the fob in the 3D builder on our home page. Type their reg, choose the metal, then choose a voice message for the back.

Record in the browser

Press Record, say your message, and press Stop. It works in the browser on a phone or a computer, and the browser asks for permission to use the microphone. You can play the message back straight away. If you stumble, press Record again and start over.

Upload a voice note

If the voice you want is already saved, upload it instead. This is how a voice note from someone they miss can end up on their keys: a message from a grandparent, or a few words from a partner who is away. Recorded or uploaded, the message can be up to 30 seconds long. If a file runs longer, the builder keeps the first 30 seconds.

Sign it and choose the colours

Once the message is saved, you can add a short sign-off, such as "Love, Mum". It shows under the message when they play it. Leave it empty if the voice says who it is.

Then pick the colour of the back. A switch shows gradients or plain colours, and six picked to suit the metal of your fob come first. The sound wave and the code print in black or white, whichever reads best on the colour you chose, and their page takes the same colours. The builder turns the fob in 3D, so you see the sound wave and the code on the back before it goes in the basket.

See what they will see

When the message is saved, the builder gives you a link to their page, and it opens in a new tab. It is the same page they reach when they scan the fob, so you can hear the message the way they will.

Playing it: what they do

Scan the code

They open the camera on their phone and point it at the back of the fob. Most phone cameras pick up a QR code on their own and show a link. They tap the link and the page opens in the browser.

Press Play

The page shows their fob in 3D, your sign-off if you added one, and the date it was recorded. They press Play and hear you. Under the message is a link to save the recording.

Ideas for the message

A few ideas, by person:

• For a new driver: a parent saying "drive safe", in the voice they heard from the passenger seat. See the new driver gift.
• For Dad: the children, one after another, each with one line. See the dad keyring.
• For a partner: a private joke, or what you would say if you were next to them. See the boyfriend keyring.
• For a grandparent: the grandchildren saying hello.
• For someone who misses a person: a voice note you saved from them.

More ideas by person are on our gift ideas page.

Tips for a good recording

• Find a quiet room. A kettle or a television in the background ends up on the recording too.
• Hold the phone about a hand's width from your mouth.
• Say their name first, so they know straight away the message is for them.
• Write a few lines down before you start. Thirty seconds goes faster than you think.
• Play it back before you move on, and record again if you are not happy with it.

How it compares with a Spotify code keyring

You may have seen keyrings with a Spotify code that plays a song. A voice message keyring also has a code to scan, but it plays your own voice from our own printed code. It has no link with Spotify.

What it costs

Prices at PlateFob:

• One voice fob: £25.
• Two voice fobs: £39.
• A voice fob with a plain one (the rear plate, a photo, your words or handwriting on its back): £37 for the pair.
• Gold or black: £3 more a fob.
• Postage: £2.99 for one fob, free for two or more.

Every fob comes in its own gift box. Orders are not open yet: you can build a fob now, and the basket takes your email. The voice message keyring page has the details in one place.

Questions

How long can the message be?

Up to 30 seconds.

Do they need an app to play it?

Most phone cameras read the QR code with no app. They tap the link that appears, and the message opens in the browser.

Does the keyring have a speaker inside?

No. The fob is cast metal with the code printed on the back. The sound plays from the phone that scans it.

Can I use a voice note I already have?

Yes. Upload it in the builder instead of recording.

Can I hear it before I order?

Yes. You can play your recording back in the builder and open the page they will see.

How much is a voice message keyring?

£25 for one in chrome. Two voice fobs are £39, and a voice fob with a plain one is £37.