DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT

Updated October 13, 2026 by Alex Sorokoletov

DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT is a Claude Code environment variable: Disable session memory compaction. Its release history is not tracked here. It is not in the official reference.

Status	Present in v2.1.294
Category	Context and compaction
Official docs	Not listed

How to set it

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

export DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT=<value>
claude

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

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

Release notes that mention it

CLAUDE_AUTOCOMPACT_PCT_OVERRIDE: Complete Guide to Claude Code Auto-Compaction Control

Related variables

DISABLE_AUTO_COMPACT: Disable automatic compaction only (manual /compact still works).
DISABLE_COMPACT: Disable all compaction (manual + auto).
CLAUDE_AFTER_LAST_COMPACT: Request only conversation logs after last compaction.
CLAUDE_CODE_AUTO_COMPACT_WINDOW: Controls the token window threshold at which automatic context compaction kicks in.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_1M_CONTEXT: Disable extended 1M token context window.
CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_PRECOMPACT_SKIP: Disable skipping pre-compaction checks.
DISABLE_MICROCOMPACT: Micro-compaction (small context cleanups).
ENABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT: Force enable session memory compaction.

Frequently asked questions

What does DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT do?

Disable session memory compaction

Which Claude Code version has DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT?

Its release history is not tracked here.

How do I set DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_COMPACT?

Export it before starting Claude Code (export DISABLE_CLAUDE_CODE_SM_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.