fix: play recording sounds regardless of mute system audio setting

apps/desktop/src/main/managers/recording-manager.ts

@@ -301,6 +301,13 @@ export class RecordingManager extends EventEmitter {
       const preferences = await settingsService.getPreferences();
       const shouldMute = preferences?.muteSystemAudio ?? true;
 
+      // Always play rec-start sound, await completion before muting (so chime isn't cut off)
+      try {
+        await nativeBridge.call("playSound", { sound: "rec-start" });
+      } catch (error) {
+        logger.audio.warn("Failed to play rec-start sound", { error });
+      }
+
       if (shouldMute) {
         const result = await nativeBridge.call("muteSystemAudio", {});
         this.systemAudioMuted = !!result?.success;
@@ -371,6 +378,14 @@ export class RecordingManager extends EventEmitter {
         logger.main.warn("Failed to restore system audio", { error });
       }
 
+      // Always play rec-stop sound (fire-and-forget)
+      this.serviceManager
+        .getService("nativeBridge")
+        .call("playSound", { sound: "rec-stop" })
+        .catch((error) => {
+          logger.audio.warn("Failed to play rec-stop sound", { error });
+        });
+
       // Cancel streaming for cancel codes (not null, not dismissed)
       if (code && code !== "dismissed" && sessionId) {
         try {

apps/desktop/src/services/platform/native-bridge-service.ts

@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ import {
   RestoreSystemAudioParams,
   RestoreSystemAudioResult,
   RestoreSystemAudioResultSchema,
+  PlaySoundParams,
+  PlaySoundResult,
+  PlaySoundResultSchema,
   SetShortcutsParams,
   SetShortcutsResult,
   SetShortcutsResultSchema,
@@ -77,6 +80,10 @@ interface RPCMethods {
     params: RestoreSystemAudioParams;
     result: RestoreSystemAudioResult;
   };
+  playSound: {
+    params: PlaySoundParams;
+    result: PlaySoundResult;
+  };
   setShortcuts: {
     params: SetShortcutsParams;
     result: SetShortcutsResult;
@@ -106,6 +113,7 @@ const RPC_RESULT_SCHEMAS: Record<keyof RPCMethods, ZodTypeAny> = {
   pasteText: PasteTextResultSchema,
   muteSystemAudio: MuteSystemAudioResultSchema,
   restoreSystemAudio: RestoreSystemAudioResultSchema,
+  playSound: PlaySoundResultSchema,
   setShortcuts: SetShortcutsResultSchema,
   recheckPressedKeys: RecheckPressedKeysResultSchema,
 };

packages/native-helpers/swift-helper/Sources/SwiftHelper/AudioService.swift

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import Foundation
 
 class AudioService: NSObject, AVAudioPlayerDelegate {
     private var audioPlayer: AVAudioPlayer?
-    private var audioCompletionHandler: (() -> Void)?
+    private var audioCompletionHandler: ((Bool) -> Void)?
     private var preloadedAudio: [String: Data] = [:]
     override init() {
         super.init()
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ class AudioService: NSObject, AVAudioPlayerDelegate {
         logToStderr("[AudioService] Audio files preloaded at startup")
     }
 
-    func playSound(named soundName: String, completion: (() -> Void)? = nil) {
+    func playSound(named soundName: String, completion: ((Bool) -> Void)? = nil) {
         logToStderr("[AudioService] playSound called with soundName: \(soundName)")
 
-        // Stop any currently playing sound
+        // Stop any currently playing sound and complete the previous handler as interrupted
         if audioPlayer?.isPlaying == true {
             logToStderr(
                 "[AudioService] Sound '\(audioPlayer?.url?.lastPathComponent ?? "previous")' is playing. Stopping it."
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ class AudioService: NSObject, AVAudioPlayerDelegate {
             audioPlayer?.stop()
         }
         audioPlayer = nil
+        let previousHandler = audioCompletionHandler
         audioCompletionHandler = nil
+        previousHandler?(false)
 
         audioCompletionHandler = completion
 
@@ -50,8 +52,10 @@ class AudioService: NSObject, AVAudioPlayerDelegate {
             case "rec-stop":
                 soundData = Data(PackageResources.rec_stop_mp3)
             default:
-                logToStderr("[AudioService] Error: Unknown sound name '\(soundName)'. Completion will not be called.")
+                logToStderr("[AudioService] Error: Unknown sound name '\(soundName)'. Calling completion immediately.")
+                let handler = audioCompletionHandler
                 audioCompletionHandler = nil
+                handler?(false)
                 return
             }
         }
@@ -64,15 +68,19 @@ class AudioService: NSObject, AVAudioPlayerDelegate {
                 logToStderr("[AudioService] Playing sound: \(soundName).mp3. Delegate will handle completion.")
             } else {
                 logToStderr(
-                    "[AudioService] Failed to start playing sound: \(soundName).mp3. Completion will not be called."
+                    "[AudioService] Failed to start playing sound: \(soundName).mp3. Calling completion immediately."
                 )
+                let handler = audioCompletionHandler
                 audioCompletionHandler = nil
+                handler?(false)
             }
         } catch {
             logToStderr(
-                "[AudioService] Error initializing AVAudioPlayer for \(soundName).mp3: \(error.localizedDescription). Completion will not be called."
+                "[AudioService] Error initializing AVAudioPlayer for \(soundName).mp3: \(error.localizedDescription). Calling completion immediately."
             )
+            let handler = audioCompletionHandler
             audioCompletionHandler = nil
+            handler?(false)
         }
     }
 
@@ -88,10 +96,10 @@ class AudioService: NSObject, AVAudioPlayerDelegate {
 
         if flag {
             logToStderr("[AudioService] Sound finished successfully. Executing completion handler.")
-            handlerToCall?()
         } else {
-            logToStderr("[AudioService] Sound did not finish successfully. Not executing completion handler.")
+            logToStderr("[AudioService] Sound did not finish successfully. Executing completion handler anyway.")
         }
+        handlerToCall?(flag)
     }
 
     private func logToStderr(_ message: String) {

packages/native-helpers/swift-helper/Sources/SwiftHelper/RpcHandler.swift

@@ -95,50 +95,29 @@ class IOBridge: NSObject {
         case .muteSystemAudio:
             logToStderr("[IOBridge] Handling muteSystemAudio for ID: \(request.id)")
 
-            audioService.playSound(named: "rec-start") { [weak self] in
-                guard let self = self else {
-                    HelperLogger.logToStderr(
-                        "[IOBridge] self is nil in playSound completion for muteSystemAudio. ID: \(request.id)"
-                    )
-                    return
-                }
+            let muteSuccess = accessibilityService.muteSystemAudio()
+            let muteResultPayload = MuteSystemAudioResultSchema(
+                message: muteSuccess ? "Mute command sent" : "Failed to send mute command",
+                success: muteSuccess)
 
-                self.logToStderr(
-                    "[IOBridge] rec-start.mp3 finished playing successfully. Proceeding to mute system audio. ID: \(request.id)"
+            do {
+                let resultData = try jsonEncoder.encode(muteResultPayload)
+                let resultAsJsonAny = try jsonDecoder.decode(JSONAny.self, from: resultData)
+                rpcResponse = RPCResponseSchema(error: nil, id: request.id, result: resultAsJsonAny)
+            } catch {
+                logToStderr(
+                    "[IOBridge] Error encoding muteSystemAudio result: \(error.localizedDescription) for ID: \(request.id)"
                 )
-                let success = self.accessibilityService.muteSystemAudio()
-                let resultPayload = MuteSystemAudioResultSchema(
-                    message: success ? "Mute command sent" : "Failed to send mute command",
-                    success: success)
-
-                var responseToSend: RPCResponseSchema
-                do {
-                    let resultData = try self.jsonEncoder.encode(resultPayload)
-                    let resultAsJsonAny = try self.jsonDecoder.decode(
-                        JSONAny.self, from: resultData)
-                    responseToSend = RPCResponseSchema(
-                        error: nil, id: request.id, result: resultAsJsonAny)
-                } catch {
-                    self.logToStderr(
-                        "[IOBridge] Error encoding muteSystemAudio result: \(error.localizedDescription) for ID: \(request.id)"
-                    )
-                    let errPayload = Error(
-                        code: -32603, data: nil,
-                        message: "Error encoding result: \(error.localizedDescription)")
-                    responseToSend = RPCResponseSchema(
-                        error: errPayload, id: request.id, result: nil)
-                }
-                self.sendRpcResponse(responseToSend)
+                let errPayload = Error(
+                    code: -32603, data: nil,
+                    message: "Error encoding result: \(error.localizedDescription)")
+                rpcResponse = RPCResponseSchema(error: errPayload, id: request.id, result: nil)
             }
-            return
 
         case .restoreSystemAudio:
             logToStderr("[IOBridge] Handling restoreSystemAudio for ID: \(request.id)")
 
             let success = accessibilityService.restoreSystemAudio()
-            if success {  // Play sound only if restore was successful
-                audioService.playSound(named: "rec-stop")
-            }
             let resultPayload = RestoreSystemAudioResultSchema(
                 message: success ? "Restore command sent" : "Failed to send restore command",
                 success: success)
@@ -230,6 +209,44 @@ class IOBridge: NSObject {
                 rpcResponse = RPCResponseSchema(error: errPayload, id: request.id, result: nil)
             }
 
+        case .playSound:
+            logToStderr("[IOBridge] Handling playSound for ID: \(request.id)")
+            guard let paramsAnyCodable = request.params else {
+                let errPayload = Error(
+                    code: -32602, data: nil, message: "Missing params for playSound")
+                rpcResponse = RPCResponseSchema(error: errPayload, id: request.id, result: nil)
+                sendRpcResponse(rpcResponse)
+                return
+            }
+
+            do {
+                let paramsData = try jsonEncoder.encode(paramsAnyCodable)
+                let playSoundParams = try jsonDecoder.decode(
+                    PlaySoundParamsSchema.self, from: paramsData)
+
+                audioService.playSound(named: playSoundParams.sound) { [weak self] success in
+                    guard let self = self else {
+                        HelperLogger.logToStderr(
+                            "[IOBridge] self is nil in playSound completion. ID: \(request.id)")
+                        return
+                    }
+                    self.sendResult(
+                        id: request.id,
+                        result: PlaySoundResultSchema(
+                            message: success ? "Sound playback completed" : "Sound playback failed",
+                            success: success))
+                }
+                return
+            } catch {
+                logToStderr(
+                    "[IOBridge] Error processing playSound params: \(error.localizedDescription) for ID: \(request.id)"
+                )
+                let errPayload = Error(
+                    code: -32602, data: request.params,
+                    message: "Invalid params: \(error.localizedDescription)")
+                rpcResponse = RPCResponseSchema(error: errPayload, id: request.id, result: nil)
+            }
+
         default:
             logToStderr("[IOBridge] Method not found: \(request.method) for ID: \(request.id)")
             let errPayload = Error(

packages/types/src/index.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ export * from "./schemas/methods/get-accessibility-context.js";
 export * from "./schemas/methods/paste-text.js";
 export * from "./schemas/methods/mute-system-audio.js";
 export * from "./schemas/methods/restore-system-audio.js";
+export * from "./schemas/methods/play-sound.js";
 export * from "./schemas/methods/set-shortcuts.js";
 export * from "./schemas/methods/recheck-pressed-keys.js";
 

packages/types/src/schemas/methods/play-sound.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { z } from "zod";
+
+// Request params
+export const PlaySoundParamsSchema = z.object({
+  sound: z.enum(["rec-start", "rec-stop"]),
+});
+export type PlaySoundParams = z.infer<typeof PlaySoundParamsSchema>;
+
+// Response result
+export const PlaySoundResultSchema = z.object({
+  success: z.boolean(),
+  message: z.string().optional(),
+});
+export type PlaySoundResult = z.infer<typeof PlaySoundResultSchema>;

packages/types/src/schemas/rpc/request.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const RPCMethodNameSchema = z.union([
   z.literal("pasteText"),
   z.literal("muteSystemAudio"),
   z.literal("restoreSystemAudio"),
+  z.literal("playSound"),
   z.literal("setShortcuts"),
   z.literal("recheckPressedKeys"),
 ]);