Eloquent
AI-powered text-to-speech for VS Code. Select text and hear it read aloud.
Features
- Select & Listen - Highlight any text and have it read aloud instantly
- Download Audio - Save selected text as an MP3 file
- Multiple Providers - OpenAI, ElevenLabs, Azure, or free local system TTS
- Playback Controls — Play, pause, stop, seek, and adjust playback speed
- Quick Settings — Change provider, voice, and speed from the command palette
- Configurable — Customize voice, speed, and more
Usage
Select text in the editor
Trigger "Read Aloud" via:
- Right-click → "Read Aloud"
- Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P) → "Eloquent: Read Aloud"
- Keyboard shortcut
Ctrl+Shift+R (Mac: Cmd+Shift+R)
Use the player panel to control playback
Commands
Access these via Ctrl+Shift+P (Command Palette):
| Command |
Description |
| Eloquent: Read Aloud |
Read selected text aloud |
| Eloquent: Stop Reading |
Stop current playback |
| Eloquent: Select Provider |
Quick switch between TTS providers |
| Eloquent: Select Voice |
Choose a voice for current provider |
| Eloquent: Set Speed |
Adjust playback speed |
| Eloquent: Open Settings |
Open Eloquent settings |
Providers
OpenAI (Default)
High-quality AI voices. Requires an OpenAI API key.
Voices: alloy, echo, fable, onyx, nova, shimmer
ElevenLabs
Ultra-realistic AI voices. Requires an ElevenLabs API key.
Voices: rachel, drew, clyde, paul, sarah, emily, charlie, josh, arnold, charlotte, alice, matilda, james, adam, and more
Azure Speech
Microsoft neural voices. Requires an Azure Speech API key.
Voices: jenny, guy, aria, davis, sonia, ryan, libby, maisie, michelle, nancy, roger, sara, and more
Local TTS
Free, built-in system voices. No API key required.
- Windows: SAPI (System.Speech)
- macOS:
say command
- Linux: espeak
Settings
| Setting |
Description |
Default |
eloquent.provider |
TTS provider (openai, elevenlabs, azure, local) |
openai |
eloquent.voice |
Voice name for the selected provider |
nova |
eloquent.speed |
Playback speed (0.25 - 4.0) |
1.0 |
eloquent.maxCharacters |
Max characters per request |
4096 |
eloquent.openaiApiKey |
Your OpenAI API key |
— |
eloquent.elevenlabsApiKey |
Your ElevenLabs API key |
— |
eloquent.azureApiKey |
Your Azure Speech API key |
— |
eloquent.azureRegion |
Azure region (e.g., eastus, westeurope) |
eastus |
Requirements
- VS Code 1.85.0 or higher
- For cloud providers: Valid API key with available credits
- For Local TTS: No additional requirements
Installation
From Marketplace
Search for "Eloquent" in the VS Code Extensions view.
From Source
git clone https://github.com/jshwek/eloquent.git
cd eloquent
npm install
npm run compile
Then press F5 in VS Code to run the extension.
License
MIT
