How to install Voicebox on Mac

Before you start

These are one-time installs. If you have used Terminal before, you may have them already — the first step checks.

1. 1

   Install Git

   Apple opens a small installer.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   Copy the command for step 1

   xcode-select --install

   You know this worked when: Git responds with a version number

2. 2

   Install Node LTS

   Choose the macOS Installer (.pkg).

   Open download ↗

   You know this worked when: Node responds with a version number

Install Voicebox

1. 3

   Open Terminal

   Keep it open beside this page.

   You know this worked when: Terminal is open

2. 4

   Check Git and Node

   Git and the current Node LTS are required.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   Copy the command for step 4

   git --version
   node --version

   You know this worked when: Git and Node respond with version numbers

3. 5

   Install bun

   The app is a bun project.

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return.

   Copy the command for step 5

   mkdir -p "$HOME/.npm-global/bin"
   npm install -g --prefix "$HOME/.npm-global" bun
   grep -qsxF 'export PATH="$HOME/.npm-global/bin:$PATH"' "$HOME/.zshrc" || echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.npm-global/bin:$PATH"' >> "$HOME/.zshrc"
   export PATH="$HOME/.npm-global/bin:$PATH"

   You know this worked when: bun responds with a version number

4. 6

   Install Rust

   Run the single command the page shows, then reopen Terminal.

   Open rustup ↗

   You know this worked when: cargo responds with a version number

5. 7

   Install Python

   Choose the macOS installer (.pkg), then reopen Terminal.

   Open download ↗

   You know this worked when: python3 --version prints a version

6. 8

   Copy Voicebox to this Mac

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 8

   cd ~
   if [ ! -d voicebox/.git ]; then
   git clone https://github.com/jamiepine/voicebox.git
   fi

   You know this worked when: A voicebox folder appears

7. 9

   Open the Voicebox folder

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 9

   cd ~
   cd voicebox

   You know this worked when: Your terminal prompt is inside the voicebox folder

8. 10

   Use the reviewed version

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 10

   cd ~/voicebox
   git checkout 51f49dea198384b4eb6087b72c17057c6eb1c1cd

   You know this worked when: Git reports the reviewed commit

9. 11

   Install dependencies

   Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

   Copy the command for step 11

   cd ~/voicebox
   bun install

   You know this worked when: The command finishes without an error

10. 12

    Try Voicebox

    Keep Terminal open.

    Type this into Terminal, then press Return. The first line moves you into the folder this step runs in, so it works in a window you have just opened.

    Copy the command for step 12

    cd ~/voicebox
    bun run dev

    You know this worked when: Voicebox opens

11. 13

    Allow Microphone

    In Privacy & Security, turn on Microphone for Voicebox.

    You know this worked when: Microphone is turned on

12. 14

    Allow Notifications

    In Privacy & Security, turn on Notifications for Voicebox.

    You know this worked when: Notifications is turned on

13. 15

    Try it

    Voicebox should be open and ready to use.

    You know this worked when: Voicebox works

If something goes wrong

Nothing here can damage your computer, and every step can be run again safely. If a command fails, the usual cause is the step before it not having finished.

Still stuck? Tell us what happened and we will fix the guide. Include the step number and we can usually reproduce it.