Claude TTS Local

Claude TTS Local reads Claude Code's final assistant replies aloud on Windows using the local SAPI voices already installed on your machine.

Written by Aydın Fatoğlu.

Why It Exists

Long Claude Code runs often finish while you are looking elsewhere. This extension gives those final replies a local voice, without sending your text to Google, Azure, ElevenLabs, OpenAI, or any other cloud TTS service.

It is purpose-built for Claude Code's official Stop hook and the last_assistant_message payload. The actual speech is handled by Windows System.Speech.Synthesis.SpeechSynthesizer / SAPI.

Features

• Reads Claude Code's final assistant response automatically.
• Uses only local Windows SAPI voices.
• No cloud TTS service, API key, or internet connection required for speech.
• Uses Claude Code's official Stop hook.
• Reads last_assistant_message from the hook JSON payload.
• Removes long Markdown code blocks before speaking.
• Reads Markdown links by their visible text instead of the URL.
• Cleans common Markdown formatting noise.
• Supports mixed Turkish / English replies in auto voice mode.
• Switches between Turkish and English SAPI voices by text chunk.
• Keeps rate and volume controls in VS Code.
• Runs the speaking process asynchronously so Claude Code is not blocked.

Commands

Open the Command Palette and search for Claude TTS.

• Claude TTS: Open Settings
• Claude TTS: Install Claude Code Hook
• Claude TTS: Stop Speaking
• Claude TTS: Replay Last Speech
• Claude TTS: Test Voice
• Claude TTS: Toggle Enabled
• Claude TTS: Open Config

Setup

1. Install the extension.
2. Run Claude TTS: Install Claude Code Hook.
3. Run Claude TTS: Open Settings.
4. Keep Voice set to auto for mixed Turkish / English detection.
5. Ask Claude Code a short question and wait for the final reply.

To interrupt an ongoing readout, run Claude TTS: Stop Speaking or click the Stop TTS status-bar item. After stopping, the same status-bar item changes to Replay TTS so you can hear the last reply again.

Claude TTS Local creates or updates:

%USERPROFILE%\.claude\settings.json

Before changing an existing Claude settings file, it writes a timestamped backup under:

%USERPROFILE%\.claude\backups

Settings

The extension stores speech settings in config.json next to the speech script.

{
  "enabled": true,
  "rate": 0,
  "volume": 100,
  "voice": "auto"
}

rate uses the Windows SAPI range:

• -10: slow
• 0: normal
• 10: fast

When voice is auto, the script scores text chunks and chooses a Turkish or English voice when available. If a matching language voice is missing, it falls back to another installed SAPI voice.

Privacy

Speech synthesis is local. Claude TTS Local does not upload the assistant response to a remote TTS provider.

The extension only reads and writes:

• Its local config file.
• The Claude Code settings file when you explicitly install the hook.

Requirements

• Windows.
• VS Code 1.85 or newer.
• Claude Code installed and configured.
• At least one installed Windows SAPI voice.
• Optional: Turkish and English SAPI voices for best mixed-language output.

Stop Ongoing Speech

Claude TTS Local tracks the PowerShell process currently speaking and writes its process ID to a local speech.pid file. The Stop Speaking command safely targets that tracked speak.ps1 process and removes the PID file.

The last cleaned reply is stored locally in last-speech.txt. After you stop playback, use Replay Last Speech or the Replay TTS status-bar item to restart the last readout.

This gives you a fast stop button without disabling future automatic reads.

Notes

This extension is not affiliated with Anthropic, Claude, Microsoft, or Visual Studio Code.

Marketplace note: there are other voice/TTS extensions for Claude-related workflows. Claude TTS Local is focused on local Windows SAPI output through Claude Code's official Stop hook.