VoiceMode

Natural voice conversations with Claude Code (and other MCP capable agents)

Warning

Known Issue (2026-04-13): Claude Code 2.1.105+ kills VoiceMode's MCP server when you press ESC to cancel a voice conversation. Workaround: Pin to Claude Code 2.1.104. See discussion #349 for details.

VoiceMode enables natural voice conversations with Claude Code. Voice isn't about replacing typing - it's about being available when typing isn't.

Perfect for:

• Walking to your next meeting
• Cooking while debugging
• Giving your eyes a break after hours of screen time
• Holding a coffee (or a dog)
• Any moment when your hands or eyes are busy

See It In Action

Quick Start

Requirements: Computer with microphone and speakers

Option 1: Claude Code Plugin (Recommended)

The fastest way for Claude Code users to get started:

# Add the VoiceMode marketplace
claude plugin marketplace add mbailey/voicemode

# Install VoiceMode plugin
claude plugin install voicemode@voicemode

## Install dependencies (CLI, Local Voice Services)

/voicemode:install

# Start talking!
/voicemode:converse

Option 2: Python installer package

Installs dependencies and the VoiceMode Python package.

# Install UV package manager (if needed)
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

# Run the installer (sets up dependencies and local voice services)
uvx voice-mode-install

# Add to Claude Code
claude mcp add --scope user voicemode -- uvx --refresh voice-mode

# Optional: Add OpenAI API key as fallback for local services
export OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-key

# Start a conversation
claude converse

For manual setup, see the Getting Started Guide.

Features

• Natural conversations - speak naturally, hear responses immediately
• Works offline - optional local voice services (Whisper STT, Kokoro TTS)
• Low latency - fast enough to feel like a real conversation
• Smart silence detection - stops recording when you stop speaking
• Privacy options - run entirely locally or use cloud services

Compatibility

Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows (WSL), NixOS Python: 3.10-3.14

Configuration

VoiceMode works out of the box. For customization:

# Set OpenAI API key (if using cloud services)
export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-key"

# Or configure via file
voicemode config edit

See the Configuration Guide for all options.

Permissions Setup (Optional)

To use VoiceMode without permission prompts, add to ~/.claude/settings.json:

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      "mcp__voicemode__converse",
      "mcp__voicemode__service"
    ]
  }
}

See the Permissions Guide for more options.

Local Voice Services

For privacy or offline use, install local speech services:

• Whisper.cpp - Local speech-to-text
• Kokoro - Local text-to-speech with multiple voices

These provide the same API as OpenAI, so VoiceMode switches seamlessly between them.

Installation Details

System Dependencies by Platform

Ubuntu/Debian

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y ffmpeg gcc libasound2-dev libasound2-plugins libportaudio2 portaudio19-dev pulseaudio pulseaudio-utils python3-dev

WSL2 users: The pulseaudio packages above are required for microphone access.

Fedora/RHEL

sudo dnf install alsa-lib-devel ffmpeg gcc portaudio portaudio-devel python3-devel

macOS

brew install ffmpeg node portaudio

NixOS

# Use development shell
nix develop github:mbailey/voicemode

# Or install system-wide
nix profile install github:mbailey/voicemode

Alternative Installation Methods

From source

git clone https://github.com/mbailey/voicemode.git
cd voicemode
uv tool install -e .

NixOS system-wide

# In /etc/nixos/configuration.nix
environment.systemPackages = [
  (builtins.getFlake "github:mbailey/voicemode").packages.${pkgs.system}.default
];

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
No microphone access	Check terminal/app permissions. WSL2 needs pulseaudio packages.
UV not found	Run curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
OpenAI API error	Verify OPENAI_API_KEY is set correctly
No audio output	Check system audio settings and available devices

Save Audio for Debugging

export VOICEMODE_SAVE_AUDIO=true
# Files saved to ~/.voicemode/audio/YYYY/MM/

Documentation

• Getting Started - Full setup guide
• Configuration - All environment variables
• Whisper Setup - Local speech-to-text
• Kokoro Setup - Local text-to-speech
• Development Setup - Contributing guide

Full documentation: voice-mode.readthedocs.io

Links

• Website: getvoicemode.com
• GitHub: github.com/mbailey/voicemode
• PyPI: pypi.org/project/voice-mode
• YouTube: @getvoicemode
• Twitter/X: @getvoicemode
• Newsletter:

License

MIT - A Failmode Project

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mcp-name: com.failmode/voicemode