CLAUDE_CODE_COLD_COMPACT

Updated October 14, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_COLD_COMPACT is a Claude Code environment variable. Removed in v2.1.295, so current releases ignore it. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Removed in v2.1.295
Added	Added between v2.1.123 and v2.1.126
Category	Context and compaction
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

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

export CLAUDE_CODE_COLD_COMPACT=<value>
claude

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

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

Release notes that mention it

Related variables

CLAUDE_AFTER_LAST_COMPACT: Request only conversation logs after last compaction.
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW: Controls the token window threshold at which automatic context compaction kicks in.
DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT: Disable automatic compaction only (manual /compact still works).
DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT: Disable session memory compaction.
DISABLE_COMPACT: Disable all compaction (manual + auto).
ENABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT: Force enable session memory compaction.
CLAUDE_CODE_SLEEP_COMPACT
CLAUDE_AUTOCOMPACT_PCT_OVERRIDE: Set when auto-compaction triggers (percentage threshold).

Frequently asked questions

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_COLD_COMPACT?

Removed in v2.1.295, so current releases ignore it.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_COLD_COMPACT?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_COLD_COMPACT=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.