- Where Claude voice mode works
- How to turn on voice mode
- Hands-free vs push-to-talk
- Changing Claude's voice and language
- Which Claude model voice mode uses
- Using your connected tools by voice
- Five ways I'd use Claude voice mode in a small business
- When voice mode isn't working
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
Claude voice mode lets you have a spoken conversation with Claude instead of typing. It's a beta feature on every plan, including Free, and works in the Claude mobile app, the desktop app and on the web. To start it, tap the sound wave icon next to the microphone in the chat box.
Anthropic says voice mode is built to work best on your phone, and that's where I'd use it: planning your day while you get ready, or thinking out loud on a walk. The two settings below decide whether it feels natural or keeps cutting you off.
Everything here comes from Anthropic's own help centre article on voice mode, which I read in October 2026.
Where Claude voice mode works
| Where | Voice mode? |
|---|---|
| Claude mobile app (iOS and Android) | Yes |
| Claude desktop app | Yes |
| Claude on the web | Yes |
| Claude Cowork and Claude Code | No. Dictation works there, voice mode doesn't |
Voice conversations count towards your normal usage limits for your plan, so a long chat on the walk to work uses the same allowance as typing.
How to turn on voice mode
On your phone:
- Open the Claude app.
- Tap the voice mode icon, the sound wave symbol next to the microphone, in the text box.
- Choose a voice.
- Start speaking.
On the web or the desktop app:
- Log in and start a new chat.
- Tap the sound wave symbol in the lower right corner of the chat window.
- Start talking. Your words appear in the chat box and Claude replies when you finish.
- Click Stop in the lower right corner when you want to leave voice mode.
Hands-free vs push-to-talk
This is the setting that makes the biggest difference to how voice mode feels.
- Hands-free is the default. Claude listens all the time and replies at natural pauses. It works best somewhere quiet, and if Claude jumps in too early you just start speaking again and it stops.
- Push-to-talk means you hold a button while you speak and let go when you're done. Anthropic recommends it for busy streets, crowded rooms or anywhere other people are talking.
If Claude keeps interrupting you, Anthropic's own fix is to pause less between thoughts or switch to push-to-talk.
Changing Claude's voice and language
Claude offers a preset selection of voices when you first start. To change it later on the web or desktop, go to Settings, then Capabilities, and scroll to Voice settings. On your phone, tap the settings button in the bottom left while you're in voice mode and pick a voice and pace.
Voice mode supports many languages on every plan, with languages other than English in beta. The catch is that changing your app's display language doesn't change your voice language. Set it under Settings, Capabilities, then Voice and Spoken language, or simply ask Claude to switch languages mid-conversation.
Which Claude model voice mode uses
Voice mode can use the same models as text chat, and the models you can pick follow your plan. When you turn it on, it starts with the model you last used in text chat, such as Sonnet, Opus or Haiku, and moves to the latest generation of that model automatically.
One exception to know: Anthropic says Claude Fable isn't currently available in voice mode. If you're comparing models first, my guide to Claude Opus vs Sonnet explains which to use when.
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Using your connected tools by voice
In voice mode Claude can use the tools you've connected, such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Slack. You can ask it to catch you up on email, check your calendar before a meeting or summarise a thread. On the Free plan you can connect one tool, and paid plans can connect more. My guide to Claude connectors covers how to set those up.
Five ways I'd use Claude voice mode in a small business
Anthropic's own list of use cases maps neatly onto a working week:
- Daily planning: have Claude brief you on what's coming up while you get ready.
- Learning: explore a new topic by conversation on the commute or at the gym.
- Creative thinking: talk an idea through when typing would slow you down.
- Preparation: rehearse a sales call or a difficult conversation out loud.
- Capturing ideas: get a thought down the moment it arrives, wherever you are.
Anthropic also says the voices are a limited preset selection on purpose, so voice mode can't be used to clone or impersonate a real person.
When voice mode isn't working
- It mishears you: move somewhere quieter or switch to push-to-talk, and check the microphone permission for Claude on your device.
- The audio is choppy: check your connection, close heavy apps and watch your battery, because voice uses more power than text.
- It stops responding: you may have hit your usage limit. Leave voice mode and go back in, and check your connection.
Your voice chats aren't lost when you hang up. Anthropic says text transcripts are saved in your chat history, just like typed conversations. If you've used ChatGPT's version, my guide to ChatGPT voice mode shows how the two compare in practice.
My verdict
Claude voice mode is worth switching on if you think better out loud. Use it on your phone, change to push-to-talk the first time it cuts you off, and set your spoken language in settings rather than relying on the app language. Just remember it draws on the same usage allowance as everything else.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude voice mode free?
Yes. Anthropic says voice mode is a beta feature available on every plan, including Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. Voice conversations count towards your normal usage limits.
How do I turn on voice mode in Claude?
Tap the sound wave icon next to the microphone in the chat box. On the web or desktop, it's in the lower right corner of the chat window, and you click Stop to leave voice mode.
Can Claude voice mode speak other languages?
Yes. It supports many languages on every plan, with languages other than English in beta. Set your spoken language under Settings, Capabilities, then Voice.
Does Claude voice mode work in Cowork or Claude Code?
No. In Claude Cowork and Claude Code, dictation is available but voice mode isn't.
Are Claude voice conversations saved?
Yes. Text transcripts of your voice conversations are saved in your chat history, the same as typed chats.
