CLAUDE_CODE_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL
Updated by Alex Sorokoletov
CLAUDE_CODE_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL is a Claude Code environment variable: Enables a PowerShell-specific tool variant for Windows environments. This suggests the team is building first-class PowerShell support rather than routing everything through Bash — consistent with this release also disabling line-by-line streaming on Windows/WSL due to rendering issues. Added between v2.1.79 and v2.1.83 and still present in v2.1.294. It is listed in the official reference.
| Status | Present in v2.1.294 |
|---|---|
| Added | Added between v2.1.79 and v2.1.83 |
| 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_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL=<value>
claudeTo apply it to every session, add it to the env object of a settings file:
// ~/.claude/settings.json
{
"env": {
"CLAUDE_CODE_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL": "<value>"
}
}Release notes that mention it
- Claude Code v2.1.114 — Native Binary Launcher, /fewer-permission-prompts, and 20 New Environment Variables
- Claude Code v2.1.85 — 6 New Environment Variables: MCP Server Config and a 7 MB Diet
- Claude Code v2.1.84 — 6 New Environment Variables: Idle Management and Stream Resilience
- Claude Code v2.1.81 — 1 New Environment Variable: The --bare Flag and a Bug Fix Marathon
Related variables
CLAUDE_CODE_EMIT_TOOL_USE_SUMMARIES: Emit tool use summary events.CLAUDE_CODE_MAX_TOOL_USE_CONCURRENCY: Max concurrent tool executions; default 10.CLAUDE_CODE_TOOL_USE_IDCLAUDE_SDK_CAN_USE_TOOL_SHADOWEDCLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_ADVISOR_TOOL: Disables what appears to be an internal advisory tool.CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_POWERSHELL_CMD_RM_DENYCLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_ADVISOR_TOOL: Enables the experimental Advisor Tool — a server-side tool with its own advisorModel config option.CLAUDE_CODE_POWERSHELL_RESPECT_EXECUTION_POLICY: Restore PowerShell execution policy checks.
Frequently asked questions
What does CLAUDE_CODE_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL do?
Enables a PowerShell-specific tool variant for Windows environments. This suggests the team is building first-class PowerShell support rather than routing everything through Bash — consistent with this release also disabling line-by-line streaming on Windows/WSL due to rendering issues.
Which Claude Code version has CLAUDE_CODE_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL?
Added between v2.1.79 and v2.1.83 and still present in v2.1.294.
How do I set CLAUDE_CODE_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL?
Export it before starting Claude Code (export CLAUDE_CODE_USE_POWERSHELL_TOOL=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.