diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/controls.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/controls.tsx
index 4538f0603a..377cbf1cda 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/controls.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/controls.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { Tip, TipKeybindLabel } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
-import { AudioLines, Ear, EarOff, iconSize, Layers3, Loader2, Square, Volume2, VolumeX } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { Ear, EarOff, iconSize, Layers3, Loader2, Square, Volume2, VolumeX } from '@/lib/icons'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { $hudMode, closeHud, resetHudLayout } from '@/store/hud'
 import { $wakeWord, toggleWakeWord } from '@/store/wake-word'
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { $wakeWord, toggleWakeWord } from '@/store/wake-word'
 import { ACTIVE_ICON_BTN, GHOST_ICON_BTN, PRIMARY_ICON_BTN } from './control-classes'
 import type { ConversationStatus } from './hooks/use-voice-conversation'
 import { ModelPill } from './model-pill'
+import { StartVoiceButton } from './start-voice-button'
 import type { ChatBarState, VoiceStatus } from './types'
 import { VoiceMenu } from './voice-menu'
 
@@ -129,21 +130,7 @@ export function ComposerControls({
         </Tip>
       ) : null}
       {showVoicePrimary ? (
-        <Tip label={c.startVoice}>
-          <Button
-            aria-label={c.startVoice}
-            className={PRIMARY_ICON_BTN}
-            disabled={disabled}
-            onClick={() => {
-              triggerHaptic('open')
-              conversation.onStart()
-            }}
-            size="icon"
-            type="button"
-          >
-            <AudioLines className={iconSize.sm} />
-          </Button>
-        </Tip>
+        <StartVoiceButton disabled={disabled} label={c.startVoice} onStart={conversation.onStart} />
       ) : (
         <Tip
           label={
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/start-voice-button.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/start-voice-button.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..277a1a8b71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/start-voice-button.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
+import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuTrigger } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
+import { Tip } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
+import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
+import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
+import { AudioLines, ChevronDown, iconSize } from '@/lib/icons'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+
+import { GHOST_ICON_BTN, PRIMARY_ICON_BTN } from './control-classes'
+import { useVoiceEngineName, VoiceEngineRows } from './voice-engine-rows'
+
+/**
+ * The primary "start voice conversation" button, with the engine picker one
+ * click away when the layout shows the voice controls unfolded.
+ *
+ * In the folded layout the picker lives in the voice menu; unfolded there is
+ * no menu, so without this the only way to swap engines was Settings → Voice,
+ * which is not where you are when you want to talk. The chevron is a separate
+ * button so the primary press stays a single unambiguous action; the tooltip
+ * names the engine so the choice is visible before pressing.
+ */
+export function StartVoiceButton({ disabled, label, onStart }: { disabled: boolean; label: string; onStart: () => void }) {
+  const { t } = useI18n()
+  const engine = useVoiceEngineName()
+
+  return (
+    <span className="flex items-center">
+      <Tip label={engine ? `${label} — ${engine}` : label}>
+        <Button
+          aria-label={label}
+          className={cn(PRIMARY_ICON_BTN, engine && 'rounded-r-none')}
+          disabled={disabled}
+          onClick={() => {
+            triggerHaptic('open')
+            onStart()
+          }}
+          size="icon"
+          type="button"
+        >
+          <AudioLines className={iconSize.sm} />
+        </Button>
+      </Tip>
+      {engine ? (
+        <DropdownMenu>
+          <Tip label={t.composer.voiceEngine}>
+            <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
+              <Button
+                aria-label={t.composer.voiceEngine}
+                className={cn(GHOST_ICON_BTN, 'w-5 rounded-l-none p-0')}
+                disabled={disabled}
+                size="icon"
+                type="button"
+                variant="ghost"
+              >
+                <ChevronDown className={iconSize.xs} />
+              </Button>
+            </DropdownMenuTrigger>
+          </Tip>
+          <DropdownMenuContent align="end" className="min-w-52">
+            <VoiceEngineRows disabled={disabled} />
+          </DropdownMenuContent>
+        </DropdownMenu>
+      ) : null}
+    </span>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/voice-engine-rows.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/voice-engine-rows.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9471b8e81f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/voice-engine-rows.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
+
+import { DropdownMenuLabel, DropdownMenuRadioGroup, DropdownMenuRadioItem, dropdownMenuRow } from '@/components/ui/dropdown-menu'
+import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
+import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
+import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
+import { $voiceLiveStatus, selectedVoiceChatMode, setVoiceChatMode } from '@/store/voice-live'
+
+/**
+ * Which engine the next voice conversation mounts: the chained
+ * speech-to-text → Hermes → speech loop, or GPT-Live delegating to Hermes.
+ *
+ * Radio rows, not a toggle: the user is choosing between two named things and
+ * the checked row tells them which one the next press starts. Rendered inside
+ * whichever menu the layout has room for (the folded voice menu, or the
+ * right-click menu on the start button), so the same rows appear in both.
+ * Hidden while the backend has not answered or predates the mode, so we never
+ * offer a switch the gateway would refuse with 4002.
+ */
+export function VoiceEngineRows({ disabled }: { disabled: boolean }) {
+  const { t } = useI18n()
+  const c = t.composer
+  const status = useStore($voiceLiveStatus)
+
+  if (status === null) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const liveAvailable = status.available
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <DropdownMenuLabel>{c.voiceEngine}</DropdownMenuLabel>
+      <DropdownMenuRadioGroup
+        onValueChange={value => {
+          if (value !== 'chained' && value !== 'gpt-live') {
+            return
+          }
+
+          triggerHaptic('open')
+          setVoiceChatMode(value).catch(error => notifyError(error, c.voiceEngineChangeFailed))
+        }}
+        value={selectedVoiceChatMode(status)}
+      >
+        <DropdownMenuRadioItem className={dropdownMenuRow} disabled={disabled} value="chained">
+          {c.voiceEngineChained}
+        </DropdownMenuRadioItem>
+        <DropdownMenuRadioItem className={dropdownMenuRow} disabled={disabled || !liveAvailable} value="gpt-live">
+          <span className="flex min-w-0 flex-col">
+            <span>{c.voiceEngineLive}</span>
+            {liveAvailable ? null : (
+              <span className="text-muted-foreground truncate text-xs">{status.reason ?? c.voiceEngineLiveNeedsKey}</span>
+            )}
+          </span>
+        </DropdownMenuRadioItem>
+      </DropdownMenuRadioGroup>
+    </>
+  )
+}
+
+/** Short engine name for tooltips, or null until the backend has answered. */
+export function useVoiceEngineName(): null | string {
+  const { t } = useI18n()
+  const status = useStore($voiceLiveStatus)
+
+  if (status === null) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  return selectedVoiceChatMode(status) === 'gpt-live' ? t.composer.voiceEngineLiveShort : t.composer.voiceEngineChainedShort
+}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/voice-menu.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/voice-menu.tsx
index b5e371bef5..1f89f55106 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/voice-menu.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/voice-menu.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { $wakeWord, toggleWakeWord } from '@/store/wake-word'
 
 import { ACTIVE_ICON_BTN, GHOST_ICON_BTN } from './control-classes'
 import type { ChatBarState, VoiceStatus } from './types'
+import { VoiceEngineRows } from './voice-engine-rows'
 
 export interface VoiceMenuProps {
   autoSpeak: boolean
@@ -113,6 +114,8 @@ export function VoiceMenu({
           {c.startVoice}
         </DropdownMenuItem>
         <DropdownMenuSeparator />
+        <VoiceEngineRows disabled={disabled} />
+        <DropdownMenuSeparator />
         {/* Checkbox items, because all three are toggles the user is reading
             the CURRENT state of — the reason they were pressed-state buttons
             before. A plain row would fold that state away with the menu. */}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
index 824430cf30..1809e97023 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -2796,6 +2796,13 @@ export const en: Translations = {
     stopDictation: 'Stop dictation',
     transcribingDictation: 'Transcribing dictation',
     voiceControls: 'Voice',
+    voiceEngine: 'Voice chat engine',
+    voiceEngineChained: 'Speech-to-text + Hermes voice',
+    voiceEngineLive: 'GPT-Live (full-duplex, delegates to Hermes)',
+    voiceEngineLiveNeedsKey: 'Needs an OpenAI API key',
+    voiceEngineChangeFailed: 'Could not change the voice chat engine',
+    voiceEngineChainedShort: 'speech-to-text',
+    voiceEngineLiveShort: 'GPT-Live',
     voiceDictation: 'Voice dictation',
     speakReplies: 'Read replies aloud',
     stopSpeakingReplies: 'Stop reading replies aloud',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
index f010715dfd..9e3500ec42 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
@@ -2403,6 +2403,13 @@ export interface Translations {
     stopDictation: string
     transcribingDictation: string
     voiceControls: string
+    voiceEngine: string
+    voiceEngineChained: string
+    voiceEngineLive: string
+    voiceEngineLiveNeedsKey: string
+    voiceEngineChangeFailed: string
+    voiceEngineChainedShort: string
+    voiceEngineLiveShort: string
     voiceDictation: string
     speakReplies: string
     stopSpeakingReplies: string
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
index 4b85a69467..3732c42f90 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -2960,6 +2960,13 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
     stopDictation: '停止听写',
     transcribingDictation: '正在转写听写',
     voiceControls: '语音',
+    voiceEngine: '语音聊天引擎',
+    voiceEngineChained: '语音转文字 + Hermes 语音',
+    voiceEngineLive: 'GPT-Live（全双工，委托给 Hermes）',
+    voiceEngineLiveNeedsKey: '需要 OpenAI API 密钥',
+    voiceEngineChangeFailed: '无法更改语音聊天引擎',
+    voiceEngineChainedShort: '语音转文字',
+    voiceEngineLiveShort: 'GPT-Live',
     voiceDictation: '语音听写',
     speakReplies: '朗读回复',
     stopSpeakingReplies: '停止朗读回复',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/voice-live.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/voice-live.ts
index fd6bbedf92..3de58e374d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/voice-live.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/voice-live.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { atom } from 'nanostores'
 
 import { fetchVoiceLiveStatus, type VoiceLiveStatus } from '@/lib/voice-live'
+import { activeGateway } from '@/store/gateway'
 
 /**
  * `voice.voice_chat_mode` as the backend resolves it, plus whether GPT-Live can
@@ -34,3 +35,21 @@ export async function refreshVoiceLiveStatus(): Promise<null | VoiceLiveStatus>
 export function selectedVoiceChatMode(status: null | VoiceLiveStatus = $voiceLiveStatus.get()): 'chained' | 'gpt-live' {
   return status?.mode === 'gpt-live' ? 'gpt-live' : 'chained'
 }
+
+/**
+ * Persist `voice.voice_chat_mode` on the live gateway (whichever profile/host
+ * the app is talking to) and re-read the resolved status, so the menu shows
+ * what the backend will actually mount next. Takes effect on the NEXT
+ * conversation; an active one keeps its engine.
+ */
+export async function setVoiceChatMode(mode: 'chained' | 'gpt-live'): Promise<null | VoiceLiveStatus> {
+  const gateway = activeGateway()
+
+  if (!gateway) {
+    throw new Error('gateway not connected')
+  }
+
+  await gateway.request('config.set', { key: 'voice.voice_chat_mode', value: mode })
+
+  return refreshVoiceLiveStatus()
+}
diff --git a/tests/tui_gateway/test_config_set_voice_chat_mode.py b/tests/tui_gateway/test_config_set_voice_chat_mode.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5dee8097db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tui_gateway/test_config_set_voice_chat_mode.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+"""`config.set voice.voice_chat_mode` is how the composer's voice menu swaps engines.
+
+The renderer's radio row writes through this key and then re-reads the resolved status; if
+the key were unlisted the handler would answer 4002 and the menu would show a switch that
+never lands on disk.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+import yaml
+
+from tui_gateway import server
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def config_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_hermes_home", tmp_path)
+    server._cfg_cache = server._cfg_mtime = server._cfg_path = None
+    yield tmp_path / "config.yaml"
+    server._cfg_cache = server._cfg_mtime = server._cfg_path = None
+
+
+def _set(value):
+    return server._methods["config.set"](1, {"key": "voice.voice_chat_mode", "value": value})
+
+
+def test_engine_choice_reaches_the_config_file_and_round_trips(config_home):
+    assert _set("gpt-live")["result"] == {"key": "voice.voice_chat_mode", "value": "gpt-live"}
+    assert yaml.safe_load(config_home.read_text())["voice"]["voice_chat_mode"] == "gpt-live"
+
+    assert _set("Chained ")["result"]["value"] == "chained"
+    assert yaml.safe_load(config_home.read_text())["voice"]["voice_chat_mode"] == "chained"
+
+
+def test_unknown_engine_is_refused_rather_than_written(config_home):
+    answer = _set("realtime")
+
+    assert answer["error"]["code"] == 4002
+    assert not config_home.exists()
diff --git a/tui_gateway/methods_config_set.py b/tui_gateway/methods_config_set.py
index e9a6a366ae..ce5fac88c9 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/methods_config_set.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/methods_config_set.py
@@ -344,7 +344,10 @@ def _word_setters() -> dict:
                   lambda w: _write_config_key("display.tui_theme", w)),
         # _raw_word: 0/False/[] keep their text so the error names what was sent.
         "indicator": (_raw_word, INDICATOR_STYLES, "unknown indicator: {raw!r}; pick one of " + "|".join(INDICATOR_STYLES),
-                      lambda w: _write_config_key("display.tui_status_indicator", w))}
+                      lambda w: _write_config_key("display.tui_status_indicator", w)),
+        # Which engine the desktop voice button mounts; applies to the NEXT conversation.
+        "voice.voice_chat_mode": (_word, {"chained", "gpt-live"}, "unknown voice chat mode: {value}; pick chained|gpt-live",
+                                  lambda w: _write_config_key("voice.voice_chat_mode", w))}
 
 
 def _set_word(rid, params, key, value, session):
@@ -458,7 +461,7 @@ _CONFIG_SETTERS = {
     "approval_mode": _set_approval_mode, "approvals.mode": _set_word, "yolo": _set_yolo,
     "reasoning": _set_reasoning, "details_mode": _set_word, "thinking_mode": _set_word,
     "density": _set_toggle, "battery": _set_toggle, "theme": _set_word,
-    "statusbar": _set_toggle, "mouse": _set_toggle, "indicator": _set_word,
+    "statusbar": _set_toggle, "mouse": _set_toggle, "indicator": _set_word, "voice.voice_chat_mode": _set_word,
     "cwd": _set_cwd, "terminal.cwd": _set_cwd, "workdir": _set_cwd,
     "prompt": _set_prompt, "personality": _set_personality, "skin": _set_skin}