CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_WEB_SEARCHES_PER_SESSION

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_WEB_SEARCHES_PER_SESSION is a Claude Code environment variable: Per-session ceiling on WebSearch tool calls (default 200), gated by a web_search_session_cap. Its exhaustion string tells the model "this session has used its web search budget… Continue with the information already gathered instead of issuing more searches" and names the variable as the override. Added between v2.1.143 and v2.1.212 and still present in v2.1.294. It is listed in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.294
Added	Added between v2.1.143 and v2.1.212
Category	Shell and tools
Official docs	Listed

How to set it

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

export CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_WEB_SEARCHES_PER_SESSION=<value>
claude

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

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

Release notes that mention it

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_WEB_SEARCH_REFILLS_PER_HOUR: Sets how many web-search budget refills accrue per hour, overriding the value the feature gate serves.
BASH_MAX_OUTPUT_LENGTH: Max bash output character length.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_WEB_FETCH: Turns off the WebFetch tool.
CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_TOOL_USE_CONCURRENCY: Max concurrent tool executions; default 10.
CLAUDE_CODE_REMOTE_TOOLS_CALLER_SESSIONS_MAX
CLAUDE_CODE_REMOTE_TOOLS_SESSION_CHANNEL
CLAUDE_CODE_WEB_SEARCH_FAST_ARG
CLAUDE_BASH_MAINTAIN_PROJECT_WORKING_DIR: Maintain consistent working directory across commands.

Frequently asked questions

What does CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_WEB_SEARCHES_PER_SESSION do?

Per-session ceiling on WebSearch tool calls (default 200), gated by a web_search_session_cap. Its exhaustion string tells the model "this session has used its web search budget… Continue with the information already gathered instead of issuing more searches" and names the variable as the override.

Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_WEB_SEARCHES_PER_SESSION?

Added between v2.1.143 and v2.1.212 and still present in v2.1.294.

How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_WEB_SEARCHES_PER_SESSION?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_WEB_SEARCHES_PER_SESSION=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.