Speaks first
Choose whether Nock can offer an occasional spoken check-in, what can prompt one, and when it should stay quiet.
Speaks first lets Nock offer a short check-in before you start a conversation. It is off by default. When on, Nock uses local activity signals to decide whether a check-in is timely; no model chooses when to speak, and these lines do not start a chat turn.
Turn it on and choose what can prompt a check-in
Section titled “Turn it on and choose what can prompt a check-in”- Open Settings → Agent → Speaks first.
- Turn on Speaks first.
- Choose How often: Rarely, Sometimes, or Often.
- Leave on only the check-ins you want. They are all on by default:
| Check-in | What may prompt it |
|---|---|
| Welcome back | You return after being away for at least 20 minutes. |
| Good morning | You first become active between 5:00 and 11:00 in the morning. |
| Late night | You are still active after 11:30 p.m. Quiet hours still apply. |
| Break reminders | You have been active for 90 minutes without a break of at least 5 minutes. |
These are opportunities, not a schedule: Nock waits for a suitable moment, and a check-in that cannot be said within ten minutes is dropped rather than delivered late. A morning greeting takes priority over a simultaneous welcome-back. Good morning and Late night happen at most once a day; Welcome back and Break reminders can happen twice a day with Often, otherwise at most once.
Set the pace and quiet hours
Section titled “Set the pace and quiet hours”How often sets the maximum number of check-ins and the shortest gap between them. The default is Sometimes.
| Choice | Check-in limit | Minimum gap |
|---|---|---|
| Rarely | Up to 3 a day | 45 minutes |
| Sometimes | Up to 6 a day | 20 minutes |
| Often | Up to 12 a day | 10 minutes |
These are limits, not promises that Nock will use every available opportunity. If a check-in goes unanswered, the gap before another one doubles, up to four hours. Repeated unanswered check-ins can make Nock stop for the rest of the day. Talking to Nock resets the growing gap.
Set Quiet hours on the same card; the default is 22:30 to 08:00. Check-ins are not spoken during those hours. This is separate from Settings → Nudges → Quiet hours, which controls reminder and timer alerts. See Reminders.
Choose whether started tasks can speak
Section titled “Choose whether started tasks can speak”Things you started is on by default and is separate from the four check-ins. When enabled, Nock may say that a task you gave it has finished, a reminder you set is due, or a coding agent is waiting for your approval. Turn it off if you want those updates shown without spoken notices.
With Speaks first on, a started-task notice waits while you type or the screen is locked; after an hour it stays visible but is no longer spoken. With Speaks first off, these notices are shown but not spoken. Things you started does not change the sound or speech settings for ordinary reminders; see Timers and focus for those controls.
Quiet a check-in or change it later
Section titled “Quiet a check-in or change it later”- Say Not now, Later, Quiet, or No thanks after a check-in to pause Speaks first for two hours.
- Say Be quiet for a while or Stop checking in any time while Speaks first is enabled to start that pause.
- Say Talk again or choose Talk again on the Speaks first card to resume sooner.
- Say Why did you say that? shortly after a check-in to hear its reason.
- Say Stop doing that after a check-in to turn off that kind of check-in.
You can also change the switches directly in Settings → Agent → Speaks first. Turn off the main Speaks first switch to stop all check-ins. The card’s What I last said and why section shows the recent lines and their reasons; Reset clears that local list and starts the daily count over.
When Nock stays quiet
Section titled “When Nock stays quiet”Check-ins stay quiet while Nock is listening, speaking, or working on something you asked it to do; while you are typing; when the screen is locked or the computer is asleep; during quiet hours; after you say Not now; or when Agent voice is off. For calls, screen sharing, or private work, use the two-hour quiet control or turn Speaks first off rather than relying on automatic detection.
Speaks first uses activity timing, not the words you type, and its check-in lines do not become chat messages. A Things you started notice can refer to the task, reminder, or approval you set up, so turn that option off if you do not want those details spoken aloud. For voice and privacy choices, see Voice settings and Privacy controls.