--continue
A Claude Code CLI flag, read out of the shipped bundle. It has been in the build since v2.1.138, including the newest one read.
Also written -c. Every list on this page counts all of these spellings together.
Load the most recent conversation in the current directory, including a background session that has finished; opening finished background sessions requires Claude Code v2.1.257 or later. Skips sessions created with claude -p or the Agent SDK, and sessions whose first prompt was /loop. claude -p --continue includes -p, SDK, and /loop sessions. Includes sessions that added this directory with /add-dir
Anthropic's own wording. Read off CLI reference, captured 2026-09-26.
In the changelogs
24Releases whose published page names --continue.
-
v2.1.304
--await-claimcan no longer be combined with--sdk-urlClaude Code now refuses to start when
--await-claimand--sdk-urlare used togetherfound in this entry's text
-
v2.1.302
Clearer errors when --continue or --resume fails
Some failures during
--continueor--resumenow exit with their own message instead of one generic failurefound in this entry's text, named in this entry
-
v2.1.302
claude -p with --continue or --resume now exits on certain errors
In print mode, some failures while continuing or resuming a conversation now print the error and exit with code 1 instead of starting empty
found in this entry's text, named in this entry
-
v2.1.299
Critical memory warning now tells the screen when it appears
The critical memory warning now lets the rest of the screen know when it is showing; its wording is unchanged
found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.299
No visible change to the
--await-claimerror messageThe error shown when
--await-claimis combined with--continue,--resumeor--fork-sessionis worded the same as beforefound in this entry's text, named in this entry
-
v2.1.290
claude remote-controlcan let cloud sessions run commands in a folder unattendedA new
--allow-unattended-tool-callsoption lets cloud sessions use the current folder for one run, with auto-mode commands running without askingfound in this entry's text
-
v2.1.288
Errors for conflicting cloud session options can name a different option
Errors about conflicting --cloud or --environment options no longer always name --environment or always start with Error:
found in this entry's text, named in this entry
-
v2.1.285
New
--desktopoption opens a session in the Claude Desktop appclaude --desktopopens the session in the Claude Desktop app instead of the terminal, and works with--continueor--resumefound in this entry's text
-
v2.1.285
Open the Claude Desktop app from the terminal with
claude --desktopThe new
claude --desktopflag opens the Claude Desktop app, and can resume a session there with--continueor--resumefound in this entry's text
-
v2.1.281
New SDK pre-warmed spare process: --await-claim plus claim_session control request
A hidden
--await-claimoption lets an SDK host start a spare Claude Code process early and bind it to a session laterfound in this entry's text
-
v2.1.281
--continue records the resume source; cloud attach forwards added directories
--continue now records where a resumed session came from, and attaching to a cloud session passes on extra working directories
found in this entry's text, named in this entry
-
v2.1.281
Resume passes host-answerable tool-use IDs
Resuming in print mode now works out which tool calls the host can answer and passes them to session loading
found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.274
Critical memory usage banner text unchanged but reformatted with memoized hook
The 'Critical memory usage' banner code was reorganized with memoization, keeping the same wording
found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.257
print --continue now reports when a background session blocks resume
claude -p --continue now says a matching session is running in the background instead of silently finding nothing.
found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.242
Artifact comment replies can move to another session of the same conversation
Automatic replies to Artifact comments can move between sessions of the same conversation.
found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.236
--continueand--resumefailures now say what went wrongA failed --continue or --resume now tells you the error and exits instead of quietly carrying on.
named in this entry, found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.232
--session-id now works with --continue/--resume under an SDK URL
--session-id now works with --continue or --resume when an SDK URL is supplied.
named in this entry, found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.229
remote-control --continue is documented as reattaching, not resuming
Remote control's
--continueis documented as reattaching to a session recorded in the last four hours.named in this entry, found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.221
Memory recall index is prewarmed at startup
Claude warms the memory recall index at startup so your first recall is faster.
named in this entry, found in this entry's text
-
v2.1.27
--from-prFlag for PR-Linked Session Resumefound in this entry's text
-
v1.0.62
🆕 Session Start Hooks
found in this entry's text
-
v1.0.26
Resume Conversation Command
found in this entry's text
- v1.0.26
-
v0.2.117
Enhanced Print Mode (
--print) 📄found in this entry's text
First cited
4The earliest release whose published evidence quoted --continue was v2.1.232, 13 Aug 2026. That is the oldest release this project wrote about it, so it is a floor on the name's age and not the release that introduced it. It is not a presence reading: which builds carried the name is the table below.
Presence across releases
1Build by build
149One row per release since the first build this name was read out of. Absent means the build was read and the name was not in it, never mined means no bundle for that release was ever archived, and a declared type or a default is only ever what that release's own bundle stated.
Read out of the published npm bundle release by release, and out of Anthropic's own documentation as this site captured it. Nothing on this page is a description anybody here wrote about what the CLI flag does. All CLI flags.