DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT is a Claude Code environment variable: Disable automatic compaction only (manual /compact still works). Its release history is not tracked here. It is listed in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.294
Category	Context and compaction
Official docs	Listed

How to set it

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

export DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT=<value>
claude

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

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

Release notes that mention it

CLAUDE_AUTOCOMPACT_PCT_OVERRIDE: Complete Guide to Claude Code Auto-Compaction Control

Related variables

CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW: Controls the token window threshold at which automatic context compaction kicks in.
DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT: Disable session memory compaction.
DISABLE_COMPACT: Disable all compaction (manual + auto).
CLAUDE_AFTER_LAST_COMPACT: Request only conversation logs after last compaction.
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_MODE_PRIOR_ASSISTANT_CONTEXT: Feeds prior assistant turns into the decision, so the classifier can see the reasoning behind an edit.
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_MODE_SIBLING_CONTEXT: Includes sibling files (or sessions) when classifying.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_1M_CONTEXT: Disable extended 1M token context window.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_PRECOMPACT_SKIP: Disable skipping pre-compaction checks.

Frequently asked questions

What does DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT do?

Disable automatic compaction only (manual /compact still works)

Which Claude Code version has DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT?

Its release history is not tracked here.

How do I set DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export DISABLE_AUTO_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.