Claude Plays Sound Notification When Idle
A simple configuration change lets Claude emit system sounds on macOS when it requests input or becomes idle. Update ~/.claude/settings.json to add hooks entries that match permission_prompt and idle_prompt events and run an OS player command such as afplay /System/Library/Sounds/Hero.aiff. The idle_prompt event can be delayed, since it appears queued and may fire late for long-running tasks. There's an open GitHub feature request proposing built-in notification options including system sounds, terminal bell (\a), or OS-level notifications. This is a pragmatic quality-of-life tweak for multi-session workflows and accessibility; practitioners can script platform-specific players on Linux/Windows or push for native support via the existing hooks API.
What happened
A macOS workflow tweak enables Claude to play audible alerts when it asks for input or becomes idle by adding hook entries to ~/.claude/settings.json. The pattern demonstrates using the hooks system to run an OS command like afplay /System/Library/Sounds/Hero.aiff on permission_prompt and idle_prompt events, providing a lightweight notification when Claude needs attention.
Technical details
The configuration example shows adding a hooks block under Notification in ~/.claude/settings.json, with matchers permission_prompt and idle_prompt and type set to command. Use afplay on macOS to play bundled sound files, e.g. afplay /System/Library/Sounds/Basso.aiff. Note that idle_prompt is observed to fire late, likely because the event is queued after tool execution completes. For cross-platform setups you can replace afplay with the platform-specific player or use the terminal bell character \a for minimal integration.
Context and significance
This is a practical extension of Claude's existing hooks mechanism and aligns with a public GitHub feature request for native notification options. The request proposes three approaches: a built-in sound toggle in ~/.claude/settings.json, emitting a terminal bell, or integrating with OS notification APIs (Notification Center, libnotify). Adding client-side command hooks is immediately actionable for practitioners; native support would standardize behavior and reduce per-user scripting.
What to watch
If upstream Claude adds first-class notification preferences or platform integrations, adopt the native option to avoid ad hoc scripts. Meanwhile, practitioners should test idle_prompt timing for their workloads and use the terminal bell or OS players for non-macOS environments.
Practical takeaway: Use the hooks system to get instant productivity and accessibility wins today, and track the GitHub issue for potential built-in features that will simplify cross-platform notification handling.
Scoring Rationale
This is a practical, user-facing improvement that improves developer UX and accessibility but does not change core model capabilities. It is an actionable workflow tweak with an upstream feature request that could standardize behavior.
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