Startup message "/voice to enable" is misleading — /voice is not a valid command
Goal
The startup banner tells users to run /voice to enable voice mode, but /voice is not a recognized command. Users hit a dead end immediately after following the on-screen instruction. The message should either point to the correct enablement method or /voice should work as advertised.
Problem
The startup banner displays:
✻ Voice mode is now available · /voice to enable
Typing /voice returns "Unknown skill: voice". The actual way to enable voice mode is setting voiceEnabled: true in ~/.claude/settings.json or via /config.
This creates a frustrating first-touch experience — the product surfaces a feature and tells you exactly how to activate it, but the instruction doesn't work.
Steps to Reproduce
- Start Claude Code (v2.1.74) — observe the startup banner says
/voice to enable - Type
/voice - Get error:
Unknown skill: voice
Context
- Voice mode does work once
voiceEnabled: trueis set in settings — the feature itself is fine - The issue is purely the startup message pointing to a non-existent command
- Users who don't know to check settings will assume voice mode is broken or unavailable
- This was encountered on macOS with Claude Code v2.1.74 (Opus 4.6, Claude Max)
Proposed Resolutions
Option A (minimal fix): Update the startup message text to point to the correct method:
✻ Voice mode is now available · enable in /config or settings.json
Option B (ideal UX): Make /voice a valid command that:
- If voice mode is disabled → toggles
voiceEnabled: truein settings and confirms - If voice mode is already enabled → starts a voice input session (or shows usage instructions)
This would make the startup message accurate as-is and give users a zero-friction activation path.
Option C (remove ambiguity): If /voice won't be implemented, remove the startup banner entirely for users who haven't enabled voice mode, and only show voice-related hints after enablement.
Success Criteria
- [ ] Typing
/voice(or whatever the message recommends) successfully enables voice mode - [ ] Startup message accurately reflects the enablement method
- [ ] No dead-end UX — every on-screen instruction leads to a working action
Failure Criteria
- Startup message still references a non-existent command
- User must discover the real enablement path through external documentation or trial-and-error
/voicesilently fails or returns an unhelpful error
Environment
- Claude Code v2.1.74
- macOS Darwin 25.3.0
- Opus 4.6 with high effort · Claude Max
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