CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEY

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEY is a Claude Code environment variable: Path to client private key. Present since v2.1.69 or earlier and still present in v2.1.294. It is listed in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.294
Added	Present since v2.1.69 or earlier
Category	Authentication
Official docs	Listed

How to set it

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

export CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEY=<value>
claude

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

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

Release notes that mention it

165 Environment Variables in Claude Code 2.1.69 — What Changed in 50 Versions

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEY_PASSPHRASE: Passphrase for encrypted client key.
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: Primary API key for Claude API.
CLAUDE_CODE_API_KEY_FILE_DESCRIPTOR: File descriptor to read API key from.
CLAUDE_CODE_API_KEY_HELPER_TTL_MS: Cache TTL for API key helper.
CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_CERT: Path to client certificate for mTLS.
CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID: Custom OAuth client ID.
CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEYPM
CLAUDE_CODE_DESIGN_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID

Frequently asked questions

What does CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEY do?

Path to client private key

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEY?

Present since v2.1.69 or earlier and still present in v2.1.294.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEY?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_CLIENT_KEY=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.