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Voice messages

You can answer ARIA by voice instead of typing. It works the same way a WhatsApp voice note does. Hold the conversation in your head, tap the mic, talk, tap stop. The transcript is sent as your reply and ARIA answers in text.

How it works​

In any session, the composer at the bottom has three controls: the text box, a mic button, and the send arrow. Tap the mic. Your browser asks for microphone permission the first time. Once granted, the mic turns into a red square with a running timer. Tap it again to stop. A short spinner appears while your speech is transcribed, then the transcript appears as your message and ARIA replies normally.

Recording auto-stops at 60 seconds, which is plenty for a single answer. If you want a longer reply, type it.

What it costs​

A voice message costs the same as a typed one: 1 credit. Transcription is free. The credit is charged when ARIA writes her reply, which is the same charge a typed message triggers.

Browser support​

Voice messages need a browser with MediaRecorder and a working microphone. That covers Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari on most modern devices. If your browser does not support it, the mic button is hidden and you can keep typing as usual.

The native iOS and Android apps will support voice when they ship. For now, the web app is the only place voice messages exist.

When voice helps​

Some kinds of questions are faster to answer out loud than to type. Walking through a scenario step by step, explaining why an architecture pattern fits a constraint, or running a verbal flashcard drill all work well with voice. For short factual answers, typing is usually faster.

If you are practicing for an oral exam component or a technical phone screen, voice forces you to articulate the answer the way you would in the real conversation, which is harder than typing it.

What changed from voice mode​

ClaudeLab used to have a real-time voice mode where ARIA spoke back to you. That flow was unreliable in production and has been removed. Voice messages are the simpler replacement: you speak, ARIA writes. Same effect for most use cases, with none of the live-stack failure modes.