Install

Requirements

macOS 12 or newer (Apple Silicon, M1 or later) — or Windows 10/11 (x64)
VS Code 1.80+ (VSCodium also works)
Claude Code CLI installed and accessible as claude in your PATH
A microphone (built-in is fine; Bluetooth headsets work best)

From the Marketplace

Open VS Code → Extensions panel (⇧⌘X).
Search for Verbative and click Install.
A new Verbative activity-bar item appears with the Verbative “V” icon. Click it.
The first time you start the listener, your OS will prompt for microphone access. Grant it under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone on macOS, or Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone on Windows.

First-run setup

The first time you open the panel, Verbative runs a one-time setup that checks prerequisites, hooks into Claude Code CLI, sets up the voice shortcut, and downloads the on-device engines and models. It tracks each step and then gets out of the way — nothing runs until you start the listener.

Set up Verbative

One-time install of the on-device voice daemon, whisper.cpp, Kokoro TTS, and the memory engine with its models. Nothing runs until you start it.

Files & settings

Check prerequisites

Download the on-device engines~170 MB

Hook Verbative into Claude Code CLI

Set up the voice shortcut

Listening & transcription

Download command model~190 MB

Download dictation model~574 MB

Voice output

Download voice model~315 MB

On-device memory

Download the memory models~4.6 GB

A replica of the panel's setup card — the one-time install runs step by step, then gets out of the way.

No signup required

The first time the extension talks to our server it auto-registers a free, device-bound license for you — no email, no paste, no dashboard hop. You can start using voice commands immediately. The license pill in the side panel shows your daily quota — the hands-free loops you have used today out of your limit.

When you're ready to upgrade to Advanced (or want to use the same account on a second machine), click Sign in / Upgrade in the panel, enter your email, and paste the 8-digit code we email back. You stay on the free tier until you explicitly upgrade.

Sanity check

Click Start listener in the Verbative panel and wait for the spoken cue: “Ready. Say listen to begin.” Then say “listen”. You should hear “listening” and the equalizer should come alive and react to your voice. Speak your prompt, then say “stop listening” to submit. If nothing happens, head to troubleshooting.