### Messages sent mid-turn not checkpointed
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77## How checkpoints work
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9As you work with Claude, checkpointing automatically captures the state of your code before each user prompt.
9As you work with Claude, checkpointing automatically captures the state of your code before each prompt you send that starts a turn.
1010
1111### Automatic tracking
1212
1313Claude Code tracks all changes made by its file editing tools:
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15* Every user prompt creates a new checkpoint
15* Every prompt you send that starts a turn creates a new checkpoint
1616* Claude Code keeps file snapshots for the 100 most recent checkpoints in a session. Discarding an older checkpoint deletes the snapshot files that no remaining checkpoint references, except each file's first snapshot, which the VS Code extension uses as the baseline for its session diffs.
1717* Claude Code saves checkpoints with the conversation, so you can still run `/rewind` after you resume a session
1818* Claude Code deletes a session's file snapshots in the [retention sweep](/docs/en/claude-directory#cleaned-up-automatically), by default about 30 days after the session last saved one. Rewinding to a checkpoint whose snapshots are gone can fail with [`No files were restored`](/docs/en/errors#no-files-were-restored). To keep snapshots longer, set [`cleanupPeriodDays`](/docs/en/settings-reference#cleanupperioddays).
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2525 If the prompt input contains text, double `Esc` clears it instead of opening the menu. The cleared text is saved to your input history, so press `Up` to recall it after you finish in the rewind menu.
2626</Note>
2727
28The rewind menu lists each prompt you sent during the session. Select the point you want to act on, then choose an action:
28The rewind menu lists each prompt you sent during the session, except [messages that joined a running turn](#messages-sent-mid-turn-not-checkpointed). Select the point you want to act on, then choose an action:
2929
3030* **Restore code and conversation**: revert both code and conversation to that point
3131* **Restore conversation**: rewind to that message while keeping current code
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8585### External changes not tracked
8686
8787Checkpointing only tracks files that have been edited within the current session. Manual changes you make to files outside of Claude Code and edits from other concurrent sessions are normally not captured, unless they happen to modify the same files as the current session.
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89### Messages sent mid-turn not checkpointed
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91When a message you [queue while Claude works](/docs/en/interactive-mode#queue-messages-while-claude-works) reaches Claude within the running turn, it joins that turn instead of starting a new one. The message appears in the conversation, but Claude Code doesn't create a checkpoint for it, and the rewind menu doesn't list it. A queued message that Claude Code sends as its own turn gets a checkpoint as usual.
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93To remove such a message, or undo the edits Claude made after it, rewind to the prompt that started the turn. That rewinds the whole turn, including the work Claude did before your message arrived.
8894
8995### Symlinked and hard-linked paths not restored
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