Dyslexia TTS for Cursor and VS Code

Windows text to speech for Cursor and Visual Studio Code. Highlight code or chat text, press Alt+X, and hear it with the voices already on your PC (Microsoft David, Microsoft Zira, and other SAPI voices). Built for dyslexia, ADHD, and anyone who prefers listening. No Google account. No cloud API key.

Repo: Jayrr-Dev/dyslexia-tts-cursor-extension

This is a VS Code / Cursor extension. It can bind a shortcut, add an editor right-click item, and show a status bar. A Cursor plugin (MCP + /read-aloud) cannot do that. If you still have the older plugin, use this extension instead: dyslexia-tts-cursor-plugin.

Features

• Read selected editor text aloud (Windows SAPI)
• Read highlighted Agent chat text with Alt+X (copies, speaks, restores clipboard)
• Right-click: Dyslexia TTS: Read Selection
• Stop: Ctrl+Alt+S
• Status bar: Idle / Reading / Stopped / Off
• Settings from the status bar: speed, volume, pitch, voice, on/off
• Offline. Uses voices installed on Windows

Keywords

dyslexia TTS, Cursor read aloud, VS Code text to speech, Windows SAPI, accessibility extension, listen to code

Install

Needs Node.js and Windows.

1. Clone this repo
2. In the folder: npm install then npm run compile
3. Package: npx @vscode/vsce package --allow-missing-repository
4. In Cursor: Ctrl+Shift+P → Extensions: Install from VSIX... → pick dyslexia-tts-1.1.1.vsix
5. Developer: Reload Window

Or press F5 in this folder to run an Extension Development Host.

Shortcuts

How to use it

Code file: highlight lines, then Alt+X.

Agent chat: highlight the message, then Alt+X. You can Ctrl+C first. The same text still reads.

Voice and speed: click TTS: Idle. Change speed, volume, pitch, and voice. Values save in user settings.

Usual voices: Microsoft David Desktop, Microsoft Zira Desktop. Add more in Windows Settings → Time & language → Speech → Manage voices. Newer Narrator voices often do not show up in SAPI.

Status bar

• TTS: Idle: ready
• TTS: Reading: speaking
• TTS: Stopped: you hit stop
• TTS: Error: see the debug log
• TTS: Off: turned off in the menu

Click the status item for settings, including Show debug log.

FAQ

Does this work on Mac or Linux? Not this version. It uses Windows SAPI.

Is there a cloud voice? No. Playback stays on your machine.

Can Cursor plugins add Read aloud to the chat box menu? No. Use this extension and Alt+X.

Does Ctrl+C break Alt+X? No. If the clipboard already has the same text, it still speaks.

License

MIT

Links

• Extension: https://github.com/Jayrr-Dev/dyslexia-tts-cursor-extension
• Older Cursor plugin: https://github.com/Jayrr-Dev/dyslexia-tts-cursor-plugin