CLAUDE_CODE_IDLE_THRESHOLD_MINUTES

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_IDLE_THRESHOLD_MINUTES is a Claude Code environment variable: Sets the threshold (in minutes) before a session is considered idle. The changelog describes a new "idle-return prompt" that nudges users returning after 75+ minutes to /clear, reducing unnecessary token re-caching on stale sessions. This variable likely controls that 75-minute default. Added in v2.1.84 and still present in v2.1.294. It is not in the official reference.

How to set it

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

export CLAUDE_CODE_IDLE_THRESHOLD_MINUTES=<value>
claude

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

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

Release notes that mention it

• Claude Code v2.1.128 — Disable Flag for the Resume-Time Compact Prompt and Lighter Subagent System Prompt
• Claude Code v2.1.84 — 6 New Environment Variables: Idle Management and Stream Resilience
• Claude Code Version Tracker: Undocumented Env Vars, Feature Gates & Models

Related variables

• CLAUDE_CODE_GOAL_CHECKIN_MINUTES
• CLAUDE_CODE_SLOW_OPERATION_THRESHOLD_MS: Threshold for slow filesystem operation warnings.
• ANTHROPIC_BETAS: Comma-separated beta feature headers.
• ANTHROPIC_CUSTOM_HEADERS: Custom HTTP headers (newline-separated Key: Value).
• ANTHROPIC_FEDERATION_RULE_ID
• ANTHROPIC_ORGANIZATION_ID
• ANTHROPIC_WORKSPACE_ID
• BETA_TRACING_ENDPOINT: Custom endpoint for beta tracing.

Frequently asked questions

All variables, searchable: Claude Code environment variables.