[BUG] Desktop Read-aloud play button enters playing state, then reverts to idle after ~3 seconds (no audio, no error shown)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

What happens
The read-aloud play button on a Claude Code response triggers the playing state, runs for about 3 seconds, then reverts to its default idle state on its own, as if the process crashed. No audio plays. No error message is shown in the UI.

The 3-second duration is consistent across attempts, which reads like a hard timeout or an immediate error throw rather than playback that ran to completion.

Expected
The response is read aloud to completion, or a visible error explains the failure.

Actual
Button silently reverts after ~3s. No audio, no surfaced error.

Already ruled out

• App fully reset
• Computer restarted
• Not an audio output problem: other system audio plays fine through the intended output device

Environment

• OS: Windows 11
• Claude Code version: [run claude --version and paste here]
• Occurs on: [every response / only long responses with code blocks — please confirm which]

Note
Because the button reverts with no error surfaced, the failure is invisible from the user side. The cause is likely visible in logs (TTS request erroring out, auth/token expiry, rate limit, timeout, or a crashed speech subprocess). Happy to pull any logs if you point me to the right path.

What Should Happen?

Audio plays and reads the message back..... bro

Error Messages/Logs

None

Steps to Reproduce

Steps to reproduce

1. Complete a Claude Code response
2. Click the read-aloud play button on that response
3. Button switches to playing state
4. After ~3 seconds, button reverts to idle. No sound at any point.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

I dont know

Claude Code Version

v2.1.168

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

thank you for this feature!!!! it really is amazing to have a reader