elevenlabs:sdk-migration

SDK Migration Guide (Next Major Version)

Migration guide for @elevenlabs/client, @elevenlabs/react, and @elevenlabs/react-native breaking changes in the next major release.

Migration order

Follow these steps in sequence — each builds on the previous one.

1. Install the new packages.
2. Fix imports — remove deleted exports (Input, Output, DeviceFormatConfig, DeviceInputConfig, ElevenLabsProvider) and replace with their successors.
3. Wrap with ConversationProvider — every useConversation call now requires a provider ancestor.
4. Update API calls — adapt to changed signatures (startSession is now sync in React, Conversation is no longer a class, etc.).
5. Optimize with granular hooks (optional) — replace local state with useConversationStatus, useConversationMode, etc. for better render performance.

Installation

npm install @elevenlabs/client@next @elevenlabs/react@next @elevenlabs/react-native@next

@elevenlabs/client

Replace instanceof Conversation checks

Conversation is now a plain namespace object and a type alias for TextConversation | VoiceConversation. This enables tree-shaking and simplifies the internal architecture. instanceof Conversation no longer compiles and subclassing is not possible.

Use duck-typing to narrow the type instead:

Before:

import { Conversation } from "@elevenlabs/client";

if (session instanceof Conversation) {
  /* ... */
}
class MyConversation extends Conversation {
  /* ... */
}

After:

import { Conversation } from "@elevenlabs/client";

// startSession call is unchanged
const session: Conversation = await Conversation.startSession(options);

// Narrow using duck-typing instead of instanceof
if ("changeInputDevice" in session) {
  // session is VoiceConversation
}

Replace Input and Output usage with conversation methods

The Input and Output classes are no longer exported because direct access to internal audio nodes created tight coupling to implementation details. The input and output fields on VoiceConversation are now private. All audio operations are methods on the conversation instance itself.

Before:

import { Input, Output } from "@elevenlabs/client";

const input: Input = conversation.input;
input.analyser.getByteFrequencyData(data);
input.setMuted(true);

const output: Output = conversation.output;
output.gain.gain.value = 0.5;
output.analyser.getByteFrequencyData(data);

const newInput: Input = await conversation.changeInputDevice(config);

After:

conversation.getInputByteFrequencyData(); // replaces input.analyser.getByteFrequencyData
conversation.setMicMuted(true); // replaces input.setMuted
conversation.setVolume({ volume: 0.5 }); // replaces output.gain.gain.value
conversation.getOutputByteFrequencyData(); // replaces output.analyser.getByteFrequencyData

await conversation.changeInputDevice(config); // return value dropped
await conversation.changeOutputDevice(config); // return value dropped

Remove direct wakeLock access

The wakeLock field is now private because wake lock lifecycle is managed automatically to prevent accidental interference. Opt out with useWakeLock: false:

const conversation = await Conversation.startSession({
  // ...
  useWakeLock: false,
});

@elevenlabs/react

Wrap useConversation with ConversationProvider

useConversation now requires a ConversationProvider ancestor. The provider holds shared session state that multiple hooks can subscribe to independently — this is what enables the new granular hooks system and better render performance.

The hook accepts the same options as before and returns the same shape, plus new fields: isMuted, setMuted, isListening, mode, and message.

When migrating a codebase with multiple components using useConversation, ask the user whether they want:

1. A single shared ConversationProvider wrapping all conversation components higher in the tree (all components share one session), or
2. Individual ConversationProvider wrappers for each component (each component manages its own independent session).

This choice affects session sharing, state isolation, and component architecture — do not assume, ask before proceeding.

Before:

import { useConversation } from "@elevenlabs/react";

function App() {
  const { status, isSpeaking, startSession, endSession } = useConversation({
    agentId: "your-agent-id",
    onMessage: message => console.log(message),
    onError: error => console.error(error),
  });

  return (
    <div>
      <p>Status: {status}</p>
      <p>{isSpeaking ? "Agent is speaking" : "Agent is listening"}</p>
      <button onClick={() => startSession()}>Start</button>
      <button onClick={() => endSession()}>Stop</button>
    </div>
  );
}

After:

import { ConversationProvider, useConversation } from "@elevenlabs/react";

function App() {
  return (
    <ConversationProvider>
      <Conversation />
    </ConversationProvider>
  );
}

function Conversation() {
  const { status, isSpeaking, startSession, endSession } = useConversation({
    agentId: "your-agent-id",
    onMessage: message => console.log(message),
    onError: error => console.error(error),
  });

  return (
    <div>
      <p>Status: {status}</p>
      <p>{isSpeaking ? "Agent is speaking" : "Agent is listening"}</p>
      <button onClick={() => startSession()}>Start</button>
      <button onClick={() => endSession()}>Stop</button>
    </div>
  );
}

Remove await from startSession

When using useConversation (React), startSession is now synchronous and returns void. Session lifecycle is managed by the provider, and errors flow through callbacks rather than thrown promises.

When migrating:

• Remove await from startSession() calls.
• If startSession() was the only awaited call in the function, remove the async keyword from the containing function.
• If there was a try/catch around startSession() to handle connection errors, move error handling to the onError callback or useConversationStatus hook — the synchronous call no longer throws on session failures.

Before:

const startConversation = async () => {
  try {
    await conversation.startSession({ agentId: "..." });
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Failed to start:", error);
    setStatus("disconnected");
  }
};

After:

// onError handles failures instead of try/catch
const conversation = useConversation({
  onError: (error) => {
    console.error("Failed to start:", error);
    setStatus("disconnected");
  },
});

const startConversation = () => {
  conversation.startSession({ agentId: "..." });
};

Update removed type imports

• Replace DeviceFormatConfig with FormatConfig from @elevenlabs/client.
• Replace DeviceInputConfig with InputDeviceConfig from @elevenlabs/client.

Re-export change

@elevenlabs/react now re-exports all of @elevenlabs/client via export *, replacing the previous selective re-exports.

Adopt granular conversation hooks (optional)

New hooks subscribe to independent slices of conversation state, so a status change won't re-render a component that only reads mode. This is the main benefit of the ConversationProvider architecture — shared state enables fine-grained subscriptions.

After the initial migration compiles, check whether components maintain local connection state (e.g., useState for agentState, isMuted, isSpeaking) that duplicates what these hooks provide. If so, ask the user whether they want to replace local state with granular hooks:

• useConversationStatus() replaces local agentState / status state managed via onStatusChange callbacks.
• useConversationInput() replaces local isMuted state managed via manual toggles.
• useConversationMode() replaces local isSpeaking / isListening state.
• useConversationControls() provides stable action refs (startSession, endSession, sendUserMessage, getInputVolume, getOutputVolume, etc.) that never cause re-renders.

When refactoring to granular hooks:

• Move event callbacks (onConnect, onDisconnect, onError, onMessage) to ConversationProvider props when they don't need access to component-local state.
• Keep useConversation for callbacks that reference component-local state (e.g., updating a local messages array) — but use granular hooks for reading status/mode/input state.
• Remove onStatusChange from startSession options — status is now reactive via useConversationStatus().

All hooks require a ConversationProvider ancestor.

Mapping from useConversation:

Example — each component only re-renders when its specific state changes:

import {
  ConversationProvider,
  useConversationStatus,
  useConversationMode,
  useConversationControls,
  useConversationInput,
  useConversationFeedback,
} from "@elevenlabs/react";

function App() {
  return (
    <ConversationProvider agentId="your-agent-id">
      <StatusBadge />
      <Controls />
      <MuteButton />
      <FeedbackButtons />
      <ModeIndicator />
    </ConversationProvider>
  );
}

/** Only re-renders when status changes. */
function StatusBadge() {
  const { status } = useConversationStatus();
  return <span className={`badge badge-${status}`}>{status}</span>;
}

/** Never re-renders — controls are stable references. */
function Controls() {
  const { startSession, endSession } = useConversationControls();
  return (
    <div>
      <button onClick={() => startSession()}>Start</button>
      <button onClick={() => endSession()}>Stop</button>
    </div>
  );
}

/** Only re-renders when mute state changes. */
function MuteButton() {
  const { isMuted, setMuted } = useConversationInput();
  return (
    <button onClick={() => setMuted(!isMuted)}>
      {isMuted ? "Unmute" : "Mute"}
    </button>
  );
}

/** Only re-renders when feedback availability changes. */
function FeedbackButtons() {
  const { canSendFeedback, sendFeedback } = useConversationFeedback();
  if (!canSendFeedback) return null;
  return (
    <div>
      <button onClick={() => sendFeedback(true)}>👍</button>
      <button onClick={() => sendFeedback(false)}>👎</button>
    </div>
  );
}

/** Only re-renders when mode changes. */
function ModeIndicator() {
  const { isSpeaking, isListening } = useConversationMode();
  return (
    <p>
      {isSpeaking ? "Agent is speaking..." : isListening ? "Listening..." : ""}
    </p>
  );
}

Register client tools with useConversationClientTool

New hook for dynamically registering client tools from React components. Tools added or removed after session start are immediately visible. Duplicate tool names throw an error.

import { useConversationClientTool } from "@elevenlabs/react";

// Untyped — parameters are Record<string, unknown>
useConversationClientTool("get_weather", params => {
  const city = params["city"];
  return `Weather in ${city} is sunny.`;
});

// Type-safe — tool names are constrained, params and return types are inferred
type Tools = {
  get_weather: (params: { city: string }) => string;
  set_volume: (params: { level: number }) => void;
};

useConversationClientTool<Tools>("get_weather", params => {
  return `Weather in ${params.city} is sunny.`;
});

@elevenlabs/react-native

Replace ElevenLabsProvider with ConversationProvider

The custom LiveKit-based implementation (ElevenLabsProvider, useConversation) has been entirely removed. The package now re-exports from @elevenlabs/react, unifying the API across web and mobile with ConversationProvider and the same granular hooks.

On React Native, the package performs side-effects on import: polyfilling WebRTC globals, configuring native AudioSession, and registering a platform-specific voice session strategy. On web, it re-exports without side-effects.

Before:

import { ElevenLabsProvider, useConversation } from "@elevenlabs/react-native";

function App() {
  return (
    <ElevenLabsProvider>
      <Conversation />
    </ElevenLabsProvider>
  );
}

function Conversation() {
  const conversation = useConversation({
    onConnect: ({ conversationId }) => console.log("Connected", conversationId),
    onError: message => console.error(message),
  });

  return (
    <Button
      onPress={() => conversation.startSession({ agentId: "your-agent-id" })}
    />
  );
}

After:

import {
  ConversationProvider,
  useConversationControls,
  useConversationStatus,
} from "@elevenlabs/react-native";

function App() {
  return (
    <ConversationProvider
      onConnect={({ conversationId }) =>
        console.log("Connected", conversationId)
      }
      onError={message => console.error(message)}
    >
      <Conversation />
    </ConversationProvider>
  );
}

function Conversation() {
  const { startSession } = useConversationControls();
  const { status } = useConversationStatus();

  return <Button onPress={() => startSession({ agentId: "your-agent-id" })} />;
}