1.4.257

Previous release: 1.4.256 — Easier on-device dictation setup and earlier long-chat performance improvements.

Smoother long chats, saved feedback and better dictation ✨

Orca 1.4.257 reduces freezes when several long Chat UI conversations stream at once. If you keep multiple agents working in conversations with a lot of history, this update cuts the work Orca does as their replies arrive.

• 🌐 Keep your browser feedback across restarts: Unsent text notes on pages in Orca’s browser now return after a reload or restart. Closing a tab with unsent notes asks before discarding them, so you can leave feedback and come back to it later. Agents running on your desktop can read those notes with orca tab annotations before you press Send.
• 🎙️ Give yourself time to think while dictating: In Settings → Voice → Input → Stop After Silence, choose 30 seconds, one minute, two minutes or Off. Dictation can wait through a longer pause while you compose a message or terminal command. The same settings page adds a Test button to record and play back your microphone, with a transcript when your speech model is ready.
• ⌨️ Paste while a terminal connects: A command pasted into a starting or reconnecting terminal now waits for its shell instead of being dropped. This covers local, SSH and remote terminals for pastes up to 64 KB; larger pastes still need a connected terminal.
• 🗂️ Automate folder workspace routines: Configured setup scripts now run when you create a folder workspace, including through the CLI. Archive scripts run before removal. Use them to prepare the project and run its cleanup routine; these scripts operate in the shared project folder.

Highlights

• Find what belongs in a split pane: Press / in an empty split pane to search for an agent or file. Use the arrow keys and Enter to open your selection without leaving the keyboard.
• Keep your chosen Claude model: The Chat UI picker keeps your latest selection when replies from an earlier turn arrive, rather than snapping back to their model.
• See the images you asked Codex to make: Generated images remain visible after a turn finishes, without expanding its tool details. For remote chats, update both the host and client to get this behavior.

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What's Changed

Native chat & agents

Keep long chats moving, preserve model choices and make chat results easier to find.

• fix(native-chat): Continue in Chat UI on an unsent Claude fork brings back the chat it came from by @AmoabaKelvin in #40551
• fix(claude): keep a model picked mid-turn over that turn's later replies by @Jinwoo-H in #40546
• fix(native-chat): scale chat tables with the text size setting by @innocarpe in #40396
• Keep chat navigation focused on human messages by @gentslava in #33403
• fix(native-chat): highlight the slash item whose name best matches the typed query by @innocarpe in #40487
• fix(native-chat): keep the gap under response actions when a left-side item follows by @AmethystLiang in #40639
• fix(chat): show actions on latest reply by @AmethystLiang in #40668
• fix(native-chat): preview issue links that are pull requests by @AmethystLiang in #40674
• fix(native-chat): end chat streams that stop delivering instead of leaving them silent by @nwparker in #40691
• Keep Claude chat identity native-only and enforce its launch boundary by @brennanb2025 in #40548
• fix(chat): show readable Cloud Code Assist error messages by @mancunianez in #40765
• fix(native-chat): stop main freezing when many large chats stream at once by @AmoabaKelvin in #40874
• fix(native-chat): keep Codex generated images visible after the turn finishes by @AmoabaKelvin in #40893
• fix(native-chat): show Codex's model list when the Codex command points at a file in the project by @AmoabaKelvin in #40897
• fix(codex): stop native chat running Orca's Codex status hooks, which fail on Windows with Store PowerShell by @AmoabaKelvin in #40904
• fix(chat): apply window material to Chat UI backgrounds by @brennanb2025 in #40535
• fix(native-chat): browser run's Show button opens its own chat's page, not another agent's by @AmoabaKelvin in #40910
• Keep Chat UI model selections from snapping back to older replies by @brennanb2025 in #40906

Agents & accounts

Improve model discovery, account refresh, launch readiness and agent status.

• fix(agent-picker): preserve model discovery across queued waits by @AmethystLiang in #40545
• Fix false Codex worker readiness after startup by @brennanb2025 in #40246
• fix(claude): keep each account's newest groveChoiceSeenAt during profile state sync by @innocarpe in #40381
• Fix account usage reset display by @AmethystLiang in #40613
• fix(agent-status): accept OpenCode 2 hooks after OSC reports opencode by @innocarpe in #40759
• fix(agent-status): keep a finished Codex turn done while its background terminal runs by @AmoabaKelvin in #40839
• fix(cloud-auth): keep users signed in through transient auth errors by @Jinwoo-H in #40837
• fix(cloud): send the refresh token as proof when creating a linked cloud profile by @Jinwoo-H in #40713
• fix(codex): deliver handoffs when Codex's status line paints nothing by @AmoabaKelvin in #40888
• fix(acp): retry OpenCode's model list when session/new fails while providers are opening by @AmoabaKelvin in #40894
• fix(claude): preserve each account's runtime state during refresh by @brennanb2025 in #40558
• fix(claude): only offer theme sync when Claude Code CLI runs in a terminal by @nwparker in #40916
• fix(omp): show the picked model's own thinking levels before the first chat message by @AmoabaKelvin in #40933
• Remove the per-repo agent folder trust prompt by @nwparker in #40934
• fix(droid): keep the mission's session as the tab's resume target when sub-droids report by @AmoabaKelvin in #40947
• fix(settings): list the host's models in agent settings by @qq2144 in #38764

Dictation & voice

Test microphone input, choose the silence timeout and organize Voice settings.

• feat(settings): test the microphone in Voice settings and see what the model heard by @AmoabaKelvin in #40493
• feat(dictation): choose how long silence lasts before dictation stops by @AmoabaKelvin in #40530
• feat(settings): group Voice settings like the other panes, with setup states in their own rows by @AmoabaKelvin in #40652
• feat(dictation): offer the speech model update in the dictation pill by @AmethystLiang in #40686

Phone & paired devices

Improve phone workspace history, downloads, previews and paired workspace updates. Phone app changes require the corresponding phone update.

• Create a worktree per repository from an empty folder workspace on the phone by @brennanb2025 in #40139
• Show a Fast-only speed as the Fast mode switch on mobile by @brennanb2025 in #40523
• feat(mobile): show working agents on Feed in an Active section by @AmoabaKelvin in #40587
• fix(mobile): show the bytes that cross the wire on the download screen by @AmoabaKelvin in #40594
• perf(mobile): let newer phones fetch their language catalog from the desktop instead of downloading all of them by @AmoabaKelvin in #40519
• fix(mobile): only subscribe to window focus/blur AppState events on Android by @nwparker in #40615
• Show phone option previews as thumbnails with a full-height viewer by @brennanb2025 in #40569
• Update paired workspace snapshots without copying unrelated records by @brennanb2025 in #40553
• fix(mobile): show and resume a server workspace's own session history by @AmoabaKelvin in #40829
• fix(mobile): serve the phone page after a Linux package update replaces a running Orca by @AmoabaKelvin in #40863
• fix(mobile): save the downloaded desktop page on Android 7 by @AmoabaKelvin in #40878
• fix(mobile): say which WebView to install when Android's is too old to open a workspace by @AmoabaKelvin in #40907

Terminals & performance

Keep startup pastes, improve terminal ownership and reduce repeated work during agent and workspace updates.

• perf(activity): reuse tab indexes across agent status updates by @brennanb2025 in #40536
• perf: avoid unused workspace reference work on store updates by @brennanb2025 in #40554
• perf(daemon): stop scanning launched agents' output for command-finished by @Jinwoo-H in #40599
• fix(terminal): scope parking and output coverage to each workspace by @brennanb2025 in #40331
• fix(daemon): gate reportFocusLost by daemon protocol and bump to v56 by @nwparker in #39821
• fix(terminal): keep remote-viewer clipboard env on command-less creates by @nwparker in #40550
• Stop rebuilding unused dashboard launch choices by @brennanb2025 in #40666
• Release terminal warning and editor discard history when owners retire by @brennanb2025 in #40725
• Avoid repeated tab searches for terminal notifications by @brennanb2025 in #40598
• fix(terminal): keep a paste made while the terminal starts instead of cancelling it by @AmoabaKelvin in #40840
• fix(pty): scope Linux terminal foreground rows to the anchor session by @Pr1p in #39557

SSH, remote servers & relay

Recover remote event streams, refresh relay connections after wake and record connection diagnostics.

• fix(session-tabs): retire a mirrored pane once the host has closed its tab by @nwparker in #40692
• fix(web): turn off the floating workspace in the browser client and say why by @nwparker in #40699
• fix(serve): timestamp headless diagnostics and log client connections and restart cause by @nwparker in #40694
• relay edge: tag auth-expiry closes with keepalive use and host silence by @nwparker in #40882
• relay: renew the relay token right after wake when it fell due during sleep by @nwparker in #40885
• relay: the edge evacuation sweep leaves region scope to the assign path by @nwparker in #40898
• relay edge: silent host at authorization expiry closes 4408; dead-control diagnostics by @nwparker in #40929
• relay: an edge fence refused as a same-epoch conflict goes once more one epoch above by @nwparker in #40946
• fix(remote-runtime): reopen client-event streams after connection replacement by @brennanb2025 in #40881

Browser, artifacts, plugins & CLI

Save unsent browser notes, expose them to desktop agents and improve plugin and artifact behavior.

• fix(artifacts): wrap the share popover's Update button label in long locales by @ssthormess in #40297
• fix(plugins): emit workspace.changed when focus moves between identical-looking workspaces by @innocarpe in #40505
• Plugins: add editor.readTypography and editor.typography.changed by @nwparker in #40736
• fix(browser): stop a stalled tab capture keeping the Mac's display awake for hours by @AmoabaKelvin in #40847
• fix(browser): keep unsent page notes across restarts and ask before closing a tab that has them by @AmoabaKelvin in #40851
• feat(cli): orca tab annotations reads the notes a user left on a browser tab by @AmoabaKelvin in #40873
• feat(artifacts): allow artifact publishing by default for new profiles by @AmethystLiang in #40948
• Preserve artifact publishing permission in offline profile writes by @AmethystLiang in #40982

Source control, editor & linked tasks

Improve repository detection, review links, folder Source Control, editor rendering and task integrations.

• fix(source-control): stop the Change Base Ref dialog from clipping the search field's focus ring by @brennanb2025 in #40521
• fix(gitlab): never resolve github.com or bitbucket.org remotes as GitLab projects by @Bensonluo in #40410
• Preserve review links during rebases by @AmethystLiang in #40583
• fix(linear): reject connections that omit pagination evidence by @innocarpe in #40784
• fix(editor): show SVGs without a fixed width in the rich markdown editor by @AmoabaKelvin in #40825
• fix(linear): refuse relation writes when the duplicate check can't see every page by @AmoabaKelvin in #40832
• fix(editor): keep Mermaid diagram labels readable in dark themes with pastel chart colours by @AmoabaKelvin in #40843
• Clean up folder Source Control cards and add Remove from Parent by @brennanb2025 in #40850
• fix: register repositories before optional hosted metadata by @brennanb2025 in #40050
• Keep loading Git Graph commits until a tall pane can scroll by @brennanb2025 in #40884
• Keep repositories on their known public forge by @brennanb2025 in #40542
• Save the issue title on GitHub issue links made without one by @brennanb2025 in #40853
• Source Control menu: one line per row with a short status by @AmethystLiang in #40919
• Stop re-reading every linked GitHub issue when the window returns by @brennanb2025 in #40534
• fix(github): show Actions jobs as checks when a token cannot read check runs by @pawel-kotowski in #39843

Workspaces, sidebar & tabs

Search empty split panes, run folder-project scripts and improve workspace controls.

• fix(ui): drop modal blur when the overlay starts closing by @brennanb2025 in #40552
• Quiet linked task and review counts on workspace cards by @brennanb2025 in #40482
• fix(renderer): keep the right sidebar toggle during workspace creation; read the latest review provider in Source Control by @Jinwoo-H in #40478
• feat(tab-group): add search to the split pane landing by @AmoabaKelvin in #40635
• fix: reclaim timed-out prepared checkouts without exceeding capacity by @brennanb2025 in #40486
• Run setup and archive scripts for folder projects by @brennanb2025 in #40034
• fix(agent-launch): switch to the chat tab on agent launch --focus and worktree create --activate by @AmoabaKelvin in #40828
• Fix workspace delete shortcut targeting by @brennanb2025 in #40913
• Give menus roomier rows, lighter icons and solid backgrounds by @OrcaWin in #40000

Agent workflows & automations

Apply workspace setup settings, refine attention and notification behavior, and avoid automation startup during dark wake. Paired coordinator work remains inert in this release.

• fix(orchestration): worker worktrees follow the project's setup setting by @Jinwoo-H in #40547
• feat(attention): record why a finished agent turn left its workspace read by @nwparker in #40703
• fix(notifications): stop repeating bell notifications while an agent waits by @nwparker in #40718
• Reuse orchestration facts and read pane context directly by @brennanb2025 in #40564
• feat(orchestration): a paired Orca as a Run's coordinator on the server it placed work on (inert) by @Jinwoo-H in #40717
• fix(automations): don't start catch-up runs during dark wake; don't count sleep toward agent startup by @AmethystLiang in #40943

Settings & translations

Fit agent controls in Settings and update translated interface text.

• chore(i18n): guard startup and worktree copy by @AmethystLiang in #40449
• fix(i18n): update permission and mobile task translations by @AmethystLiang in #36143
• fix(i18n): correct recent translation drift by @AmethystLiang in #40520
• fix(settings): fit Chat/Terminal tiles and shortcut labels in the narrower Settings column by @brennanb2025 in #40869

Tests, CI & maintenance

Update tests, build checks, dependency and documentation records, and internal module organization.

• fix(ci): allow the one-shot home realpath in the main sync-fs baseline by @brennanb2025 in #40543
• test: remove low-value terminal input and lifecycle tests by @OrcaWin in #40538
• test: remove low-value IPC and SSH recovery cases by @OrcaWin in #40559
• refactor(renderer): group clipboard, keyboard and text-input owners by @nwparker in #40337
• Update README downloads badge by @buf0-bot[bot] in #40561
• test: remove low-value snapshot and recovery cases by @OrcaWin in #40563
• refactor(renderer): group work-item and source-control owners by @nwparker in #40562
• test: remove low-value markdown, agent, and pricing cases by @OrcaWin in #40566
• test: remove low-value mobile generation and cache cases by @OrcaWin in #40571
• chore(deps): bump tsrs to 0.22.0-ts7.1.0-beta by @nwparker in #40572
• refactor(renderer): group native-chat recovery and crew owners by @nwparker in #40570
• build: fail the React Compiler ratchet on stale uncompiled-list paths by @brennanb2025 in #40198
• test: remove low-value settings and environment cases by @OrcaWin in #40578
• test(ssh): reset user disconnect state in connection fixtures by @AmethystLiang in #40525
• test: isolate every vitest file on Windows to stop native heap-corruption crashes by @brennanb2025 in #40200
• test: remove low-value Codex lifecycle and compiler examples by @OrcaWin in #40588
• refactor(skills): group catalog, installation, sharing and freshness owners by @nwparker in #40581
• test: remove low-value native chat recovery suites by @OrcaWin in #40601
• refactor(automations): group feature modules under defining owners by @nwparker in #40605
• test: remove low-value launch status and crew hook suites by @OrcaWin in #40608
• test: reset the provider session generation per test store by @Jinwoo-H in #40586
• test(notifications): run the dismissal-restart suites on Node by @Jinwoo-H in #40614
• refactor(orchestration): open a party by Dispatch address through one helper by @Jinwoo-H in #40555
• Remove low-value voice, speech, and relay tests by @OrcaWin in #40617
• Update WeChat community QR code by @AmethystLiang in #40618
• refactor(mobile): organize native chat by feature ownership by @nwparker in #40619
• test: remove low-value intake, authoring, and picker suites by @OrcaWin in #40622
• test: remove low-value automation host and listing suites by @OrcaWin in #40631
• refactor(renderer): use concrete launch and activity owners by @nwparker in #40630
• chore: ignore Claude Code local settings by @nwparker in #40633
• feat(cmd-j): add an extra-results seam for non-workspace palette sources by @Jinwoo-H in #40606
• test: remove low-value skill and work-item query suites by @OrcaWin in #40637
• refactor(orchestration): isolate the legacy remote-worker code in two folders by @Jinwoo-H in #40624
• test: remove notification schema and unused palette source suites by @OrcaWin in #40647
• test: remove narrow composer and workspace suites by @OrcaWin in #40654
• refactor(mobile): finish concrete owner and test placement cleanup by @nwparker in #40643
• test: fix fixture revision lifetime and SQLite restart runtime by @nwparker in #40665
• test: remove low-value fixtures and duplicate cases by @OrcaWin in #40667
• refactor(links): report where an opened http link went by @Jinwoo-H in #40645
• refactor(orchestration): one access declaration and check on every method by @Jinwoo-H in #40646
• refactor(renderer): group workspace creation and launch owners by @nwparker in #40688
• refactor(mobile): finish native chat owner and test lifecycle cleanup by @nwparker in #40710
• test: run persisted profile WAL fixture on Node by @AmethystLiang in #40715
• refactor(renderer): group appearance and terminal feature owners by @nwparker in #40719
• refactor(mobile): group host catalog credentials and descriptors by @nwparker in #40739
• test(ssh): clear SSH session holds between connection test files by @nwparker in #40673
• refactor(renderer): group file and document feature owners by @nwparker in #40745
• Update README downloads badge by @buf0-bot[bot] in #40763
• refactor: finish terminal runtime and typography owner imports by @nwparker in #40761
• refactor(renderer): group startup platform and runtime owners by @nwparker in #40777
• Update README downloads badge by @buf0-bot[bot] in #40817
• Remove low-value test examples and two suites by @OrcaWin in #40883
• refactor(mobile): group usage and shell generation owners by @nwparker in #40783
• test: remove low-value terminal and store examples by @OrcaWin in #40892
• refactor(renderer): group workspace and feature module owners by @nwparker in #40895
• test: retire low-value creation, title and store cases by @OrcaWin in #40903
• test: retire low-value renderer tests and leaking HTTP fixture by @OrcaWin in #40915
• test: remove six low-value suites and redundant cases by @OrcaWin in #40922
• refactor: group renderer agent sessions and runtime modules by owner by @nwparker in #40911
• test: remove four low-value renderer suites and redundant cases by @OrcaWin in #40928
• Update README downloads badge by @buf0-bot[bot] in #40940
• test: remove eight low-value suites and routine renderer cases by @OrcaWin in #40941
• fix(status-bar): import window visibility interval from its moved path by @AmoabaKelvin in #40951
• refactor(renderer): group browser ownership and typing diagnostics by @nwparker in #40936
• test: remove 93 low-value tests and eleven suites by @OrcaWin in #40957

Reverted changes

The phone tab redesign was reverted before publication; the scrolling tab strip is retained. The CLI chat list/read/send/wait commands were also reverted. The earlier split-pane landing list was restored before its search follow-up.

• revert(tab-group): restore the split pane landing list by @AmoabaKelvin in #40580
• feat(mobile): show only the open tab, with a tab count and a sheet of every tab by @AmoabaKelvin in #40592
• revert(mobile): restore the scrolling session tab strip by @AmoabaKelvin in #40938
• Reverted the chat list/read/send/wait commands (#40836) and their polling repair (#41129) before this release.

Contributors

Thanks to @brennanb2025, @OrcaWin, @AmoabaKelvin, @nwparker, @buf0-bot[bot], @AmethystLiang, @Jinwoo-H, @innocarpe, @ssthormess, @gentslava, @Bensonluo, @mancunianez, @Pr1p, @qq2144, @pawel-kotowski.

New Contributors

• @ssthormess made their first contribution in #40297
• @Bensonluo made their first contribution in #40410
• @pawel-kotowski made their first contribution in #39843

Full changelog: v1.4.256...v1.4.257