| name | voxtype-install |
| description | Guide the user through installing, configuring, and launching voxtype — local on-device voice dictation (speech-to-text that types wherever the cursor is). Use when the user asks to install voxtype, set up voice dictation / voice typing, or asks how to dictate into their editor, terminal, or a coding agent's prompt. |
voxtype Install Guide
voxtype is a standalone PyPI package for fully on-device voice
dictation on macOS. It types transcribed speech into whatever app has
focus. No cloud, no accounts, no audio leaving the machine.
Install
One command; it picks the best engine for the machine automatically
(Apple-GPU parakeet-mlx on Apple Silicon, CPU parakeet elsewhere):
uv tool install voxtype
If the user doesn't have uv, either install it first
(curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh) or use
pipx install voxtype.
Note: voxtype only works on macOS (it types via macOS accessibility
APIs). Tell the user this up front if they are on Linux/Windows.
Configure
Run the interactive wizard — it asks a handful of explained questions
(engine, activation mode, hotkey, ...) and writes
~/.config/voxtype/config.toml:
voxtype setup
This must run in the user's own terminal (it is interactive); do not
run it through an agent shell. Alternative for hand-editors:
voxtype init writes a fully commented sample config instead.
Editing the config directly
All settings live in ~/.config/voxtype/config.toml — every key is
optional and the file voxtype init writes is fully commented. You (the
agent) can open and edit this file to help the user tune specific
options; common ones:
engine — parakeet-mlx (Apple GPU), parakeet (CPU), or moonshine.mode — toggle (hotkey), wake (wake word), or vad (always on).segmentation — hold (whole take on toggle-off) or vad (per pause).hotkey — toggle chord, e.g. "<ctrl>+;" (run voxtype hotkey to
record one).sounds — set false to silence the start/stop chimes.wake_word / wake_word_aliases, submit_phrases, overlay,
paste_hotkey, cancel_hotkey, copy_to_clipboard, and more.
For the full list — every key, its default, and the engine comparison —
read the Configuration & CLI reference:
https://pchalasani.github.io/claude-code-tools/tools/voxtype/configuration/
Launch
voxtype
Then: press Ctrl+; (default hotkey), speak, press Ctrl+; again —
the take is transcribed and typed at the cursor. Esc cancels a
recording. Saying "go", "over", or "submit" alone presses Enter.
First-run notes for the user:
- macOS will prompt for Microphone, Accessibility, and
Input Monitoring permissions for the terminal app — all three
must be granted, then voxtype restarted.
- The first launch downloads the speech model (up to ~2 GB for the
default Apple-GPU engine, ~490 MB for the CPU engine); later launches
skip the download and just load it onto the GPU (a few seconds, shown
by a spinner).
Reference
