How to install each Varterm extension

Cursor — Extensions panel or .vsix

Search Varterm TTS in Cursor Extensions. That listing comes from Open VSX. Use a .vsix only if search misses it; the current file is 0.1.40 on GitHub Releases.

If the hosted .vsix link returns 404, build from source in varterm/extensions (Development section → npm run package inside extensions/vscode).

From Extensions

1. Open Extensions (Cmd+Shift+X / Ctrl+Shift+X).
2. Search Varterm TTS and click Install.
3. Reload if Cursor asks.
4. Click Install (user), not Install Workspace Extension. Flip on Agent Auto-read — one install, every window, zero echo. Play, pause, stop, jump. Or run Varterm: Read Clipboard Aloud / Varterm: Read Editor/Selection Aloud.

From a .vsix file

1. Download the .vsix from the button above or from Releases.
2. Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P) → Extensions: Install from VSIX... → choose the file → reload if asked.

Store updates come through Extensions. A newer .vsix can be installed the same way if you pin a GitHub build.

VS Code — Marketplace install or manual .vsix

On VS Code you can usually install straight from the Visual Studio Marketplace when the listing is available. Manual .vsix follows the identical steps as Cursor and is handy for betas or air-gapped machines.

From Marketplace

1. Open the listing (button above). Click Install and approve opening VS Code when the browser asks.
2. After installation, reload if prompted.

From a .vsix file

1. Command Palette → Extensions: Install from VSIX... → pick the file → reload if needed.

Troubleshooting overlaps with Cursor: confirmed package names and tags live in varterm/extensions.

Chrome extension — Chrome Web Store (or unpacked)

The browser extension reads selection and pages in Chrome. Prefer the packaged listing unless you are developing or QA'ing a local build. Until a single stable listing URL is finalized, use the Chrome Web Store home and search Varterm, or extensions hub → Chrome when we publish the direct listing link there.

Install from the Web Store

1. Open the Chrome Web Store listing and click Add to Chrome.
2. Pin the extension (puzzle icon → pin) so the toolbar control is visible.
3. On a page, select text and use the in-page controls or context menu commands (wording varies by version) for passages and markdown-heavy blocks.
4. Grant any permission prompts Chrome shows for the sites where you want read-aloud—extensions can only act where the browser allows.

Unpacked install (contributors / QA)

Clone and build the Chrome target from varterm/extensions per that repo's README, then load the folder that contains a valid manifest.json (often a dist or release output—not the whole monorepo root).

1. In Chrome go to chrome://extensions.
2. Turn on Developer mode (top right).
3. Click Load unpacked and choose the built extension directory.
4. After code changes, use Reload on the extension card to pick up new assets.

Unpacked installs are tied to your local folder; switching machines or wiping the checkout removes the loaded extension unless you repeat the steps or reinstall from the Web Store.