You'll noticeTier: how much it should matter to you
3Useful: my rating, 1 to 5
1Signal: worth watching, 1 to 5
MemoryArea: what it touches
ImprovementsKind: in v2.1.281,
ImprovementsSection of the release
What
Instruction and memory files are text files Claude Code reads at the start of a session to learn your preferences and project rules. Claude Code already warned when a single one of these files was too large. It now also adds up the sizes of all the files that are each under the per-file limit, and warns if the total goes over a total limit. That limit is at least 120000 characters, or the per-file limit if that is larger.
The warning names the three largest files. It appears in the status and doctor list and in the startup notice about large memory files.
Why
Many medium-sized instruction files can add up to the same load as one oversized file. The warning points you at the biggest ones to trim.
