CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_FIRST_LAUNCH

Updated October 14, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_FIRST_LAUNCH is a Claude Code environment variable. Added between v2.1.245 and v2.1.247 and still present in v2.1.295. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.295
Added	Added between v2.1.245 and v2.1.247
Category	Feature toggles
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

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

export CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_FIRST_LAUNCH=<value>
claude

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

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

Related variables

CCR_FORCE_BUNDLE
CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_STRIKETHROUGH
CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_SYNC_OUTPUT: Disable streaming output in favor of synchronous writes.
CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_WINDOWS_CREDMAN: Forces credential storage through the Windows Credential Manager.
CLAUDE_FORCE_DISPLAY_SURVEY: Force feedback survey display.
FORCE_HYPERLINK
FORCE_PROMPT_CACHING_5M
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_LAUNCH_COMPOSER

Frequently asked questions

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_FIRST_LAUNCH?

Added between v2.1.245 and v2.1.247 and still present in v2.1.295.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_FIRST_LAUNCH?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_FORCE_FIRST_LAUNCH=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.