Overview
Atticus is a voice assistant for Mac that turns spoken requests into actions across apps, windows, files, settings, web content, and the screen. Users activate it with a keyboard shortcut, speak a request, and release the keys to submit it.
It works through Claude Code with an existing Claude Pro or Max plan rather than requiring a separate API key. Apple’s on-device speech recognition converts audio to text, so recorded audio does not leave the Mac.
Key Features
- Opens apps and websites, moves windows, searches the web, and controls music.
- Searches files by their contents and can open a matching item on another display.
- Reads visible pages or code, produces concise answers, and types text into the active app.
- Learns repeated actions as shortcuts that can later run without AI processing.
- Stores user preferences, personal context, and corrections in editable settings.
- Uses native Accessibility controls for clicking, scrolling, and typing within apps.
Voice Controls and Workflow
Atticus supports hold-to-talk and press-to-toggle shortcut modes. In hold mode, releasing the shortcut submits the request; in toggle mode, the first press begins listening and the second submits it. Pressing the shortcut while Atticus is answering stops the response, while Escape cancels listening without sending.
Users can combine actions in natural requests, such as arranging several windows across displays or opening a set of apps. A phrase can also be assigned to a routine, allowing a short command to reproduce previously taught behavior.
Safety and Privacy
Safe mode runs AI commands inside Claude Code’s sandbox, where writing is limited to a scratch folder. Atticus asks for confirmation before deleting, sending, purchasing, or changing a file, and permanently blocks commands involving elevated privileges, disk tools, shutdown, and direct file removal. Exact commands remain available in the request log.
Cost and Requirements
Atticus itself is free and open source. It does not add a separate API bill, but its AI-backed requests use the user’s existing Claude Pro or Max plan through Claude Code; simple and learned actions can bypass AI processing.