diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useVadRecorder.ts b/ui/src/hooks/useVadRecorder.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6debfb2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useVadRecorder.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+import { useState, useRef, useCallback } from "react";
+import { useMicVAD } from "@ricky0123/vad-react";
+import { encodeWav } from "../lib/encodeWav";
+
+interface UseVadRecorderOptions {
+  onTranscript: (text: string) => void;
+}
+
+interface UseVadRecorderReturn {
+  state: "idle" | "recording" | "processing";
+  start: () => void;
+  stop: () => void;
+  mediaStream: MediaStream | null;
+}
+
+export function useVadRecorder(opts: UseVadRecorderOptions): UseVadRecorderReturn {
+  const [state, setState] = useState<"idle" | "recording" | "processing">("idle");
+  const mediaStreamRef = useRef<MediaStream | null>(null);
+
+  const handleSpeechEnd = useCallback(
+    async (audio: Float32Array) => {
+      vad.pause();
+      setState("processing");
+
+      try {
+        const wavBlob = encodeWav(audio);
+        const formData = new FormData();
+        formData.append("audio", wavBlob, "recording.wav");
+
+        const res = await fetch("/api/transcribe", {
+          method: "POST",
+          credentials: "include",
+          body: formData,
+        });
+
+        if (res.ok) {
+          const data = (await res.json()) as { text: string };
+          if (data.text && data.text.length >= 2) {
+            opts.onTranscript(data.text.trim());
+          }
+        }
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error("[useVadRecorder] Transcription error:", err);
+      } finally {
+        setState("idle");
+      }
+    },
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+    [opts.onTranscript],
+  );
+
+  const vad = useMicVAD({
+    startOnLoad: false,
+    baseAssetPath: "/",
+    onnxWASMBasePath: "/",
+    positiveSpeechThreshold: 0.8,
+    negativeSpeechThreshold: 0.65,
+    redemptionFrames: 8,
+    minSpeechFrames: 5,
+    onSpeechStart: () => {
+      // VAD detected start of speech — no action needed, state was set to "recording" in start()
+    },
+    onSpeechEnd: handleSpeechEnd,
+  });
+
+  const start = useCallback(async () => {
+    try {
+      // Request a separate stream reference for VoiceWaveform AnalyserNode
+      const stream = await navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({ audio: true });
+      mediaStreamRef.current = stream;
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error("[useVadRecorder] Microphone access denied:", err);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    vad.start();
+    setState("recording");
+  }, [vad]);
+
+  const stop = useCallback(() => {
+    vad.pause();
+
+    // Stop the separate stream tracks
+    if (mediaStreamRef.current) {
+      mediaStreamRef.current.getTracks().forEach((t) => t.stop());
+      mediaStreamRef.current = null;
+    }
+
+    setState("idle");
+  }, [vad]);
+
+  return {
+    state,
+    start,
+    stop,
+    mediaStream: mediaStreamRef.current,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts b/ui/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..52d8f431
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
+
+type VoiceMode = "text" | "voice_input" | "full_voice";
+
+interface UseVoiceModeReturn {
+  mode: VoiceMode;
+  setMode: (next: VoiceMode) => Promise<void>;
+  isLoading: boolean;
+}
+
+export function useVoiceMode(): UseVoiceModeReturn {
+  const [mode, setModeState] = useState<VoiceMode>("text");
+  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(true);
+
+  // Load current voiceMode from nexus-settings on mount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let cancelled = false;
+
+    const load = async () => {
+      try {
+        const res = await fetch("/api/nexus/settings", {
+          credentials: "include",
+        });
+
+        if (res.ok && !cancelled) {
+          const data = (await res.json()) as { voiceMode?: string };
+          const raw = data.voiceMode;
+          if (raw === "voice_input" || raw === "full_voice" || raw === "text") {
+            setModeState(raw as VoiceMode);
+          }
+        }
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error("[useVoiceMode] Failed to load settings:", err);
+      } finally {
+        if (!cancelled) {
+          setIsLoading(false);
+        }
+      }
+    };
+
+    load();
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  const setMode = async (next: VoiceMode): Promise<void> => {
+    const previous = mode;
+    // Optimistic update
+    setModeState(next);
+
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch("/api/nexus/settings", {
+        method: "PATCH",
+        credentials: "include",
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ voiceMode: next }),
+      });
+
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        throw new Error(`PATCH /api/nexus/settings returned ${res.status}`);
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error("[useVoiceMode] Failed to update voiceMode:", err);
+      // Revert on error
+      setModeState(previous);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return { mode, setMode, isLoading };
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/encodeWav.ts b/ui/src/lib/encodeWav.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..871f7210
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/lib/encodeWav.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+/**
+ * Encodes a Float32Array of audio samples (mono, 16kHz) into a WAV Blob.
+ *
+ * WAV format: 44-byte header + PCM 16-bit samples
+ * - RIFF chunk: "RIFF", file size, "WAVE"
+ * - fmt  chunk: PCM (1), mono (1), 16kHz, 16-bit depth
+ * - data chunk: raw PCM samples
+ */
+
+function writeString(view: DataView, offset: number, str: string): void {
+  for (let i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
+    view.setUint8(offset + i, str.charCodeAt(i));
+  }
+}
+
+export function encodeWav(samples: Float32Array, sampleRate = 16000): Blob {
+  const numChannels = 1;
+  const bitsPerSample = 16;
+  const byteRate = (sampleRate * numChannels * bitsPerSample) / 8;
+  const blockAlign = (numChannels * bitsPerSample) / 8;
+
+  const dataLength = samples.length * 2; // 2 bytes per 16-bit sample
+  const headerLength = 44;
+  const buffer = new ArrayBuffer(headerLength + dataLength);
+  const view = new DataView(buffer);
+
+  // RIFF chunk
+  writeString(view, 0, "RIFF");
+  view.setUint32(4, 36 + dataLength, true); // file size - 8
+  writeString(view, 8, "WAVE");
+
+  // fmt  chunk
+  writeString(view, 12, "fmt ");
+  view.setUint32(16, 16, true); // chunk size (16 for PCM)
+  view.setUint16(20, 1, true); // PCM format
+  view.setUint16(22, numChannels, true);
+  view.setUint32(24, sampleRate, true);
+  view.setUint32(28, byteRate, true);
+  view.setUint16(32, blockAlign, true);
+  view.setUint16(34, bitsPerSample, true);
+
+  // data chunk
+  writeString(view, 36, "data");
+  view.setUint32(40, dataLength, true);
+
+  // Write PCM samples — clamp to [-1, 1] then convert to int16
+  let offset = 44;
+  for (let i = 0; i < samples.length; i++) {
+    const clamped = Math.max(-1, Math.min(1, samples[i]));
+    const int16 = clamped < 0 ? clamped * 0x8000 : clamped * 0x7fff;
+    view.setInt16(offset, Math.round(int16), true);
+    offset += 2;
+  }
+
+  return new Blob([buffer], { type: "audio/wav" });
+}