CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW_EMULATOR

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW_EMULATOR is a Claude Code environment variable: Pins the artifact-preview emulator on (true) or off (false); left unset, a feature flag decides. When on, the emulator checks its skill's files first and stays off if they cannot be read. Added in v2.1.292. Added in v2.1.292 and still present in v2.1.294. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.294
Added	Added in v2.1.292
Category	Other
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

For one session, export it in the shell that starts Claude Code:

export CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW_EMULATOR=<value>
claude

To apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:

// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW_EMULATOR": "<value>"
  }
}

Release notes that mention it

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW
CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT: Turns on Artifacts, with companions for its API endpoint, direct upload, and MCP exposure.
CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_AUTO_OPEN
CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_COMMENTS
CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_COMMENTS_AUTOREACT
CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_DELETE: Enables the delete-Artifact path (owner-only, requires confirmation, blocked in plan mode).
CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_VERSIONS: When set, the session can list and read an artifact's earlier versions; without it, a session reports that an artifact's earlier versions are not available.
CLAUDE_CODE_QUESTION_PREVIEW_FORMAT: Format for permission question previews.

Frequently asked questions

What does CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW_EMULATOR do?

Pins the artifact-preview emulator on (true) or off (false); left unset, a feature flag decides. When on, the emulator checks its skill's files first and stays off if they cannot be read. Added in v2.1.292.

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW_EMULATOR?

Added in v2.1.292 and still present in v2.1.294.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW_EMULATOR?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_ARTIFACT_PREVIEW_EMULATOR=value), or add it to the "env" object in ~/.claude/settings.json to apply it to every session.

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.