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Sweep 25 Sep 2026 · 19:33Z Build v2.1.283 504 read Stable v2.1.274 Latest v2.1.283 Next v2.1.283 Feeds RSS JSON llms.txt llms-full.txt Unofficial

Claude Code v2.1.281 ·

Windows updater keeps backup executables while the launcher is missing

On Windows, backup copies of Claude Code are now kept for up to 30 days when the launcher is missing

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JSON All of v2.1.281
EntryKind: in v2.1.281,
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What

When Claude Code starts on Windows, it cleans up old copies of its program file left behind by updates. It now matches those copies (<exe>.old.<ts>[.<pid>] and <exe>.new.*) against the real program name, ignoring upper and lower case. If backups exist and the launcher file is missing or empty, it keeps:

  • the newest intact backup for 30 days
  • other backups for 14 days

In every other case, the old one-hour cleanup still applies.

Why

If the launcher has gone missing, a working copy of Claude Code stays on disk instead of being deleted within the hour.

See this entry in the whole of v2.1.281 →

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