{"version":"2.1.290","anchor":"chrome-menu-reports-live-connection-state-and-reconnect-act","canonical_anchor":"chrome-menu-reports-live-connection-state-and-reconnect-act","heading":"Better handling when the Claude in Chrome connection fails","tier":"use","area":"Chrome & Browser","scope":"individual","heads_up":false,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.290\/e\/chrome-menu-reports-live-connection-state-and-reconnect-act","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.290","markdown":"### Better handling when the Claude in Chrome connection fails\n\n\/chrome now shows the real Claude in Chrome connection state with a working Reconnect, and Claude is told to skip browser tools while it is down\n\n**Unclear.** It is not clear which kinds of session can reconnect directly from the `\/chrome` dialog.\n\n**What**\n\nClaude in Chrome lets Claude control your browser. It connects through MCP (Model Context Protocol), the way Claude Code links to outside tools. When that connection has failed or been turned off, Claude Code now handles it more clearly:\n\n- The `\/chrome` menu shows the real connection state: connected, connecting, failed, disabled or absent. Before, it showed only Enabled or Disabled.\n\n- The \"Reconnect extension\" action now actually tries to reconnect. Before, it only opened a link. When it cannot reconnect, it says why: Chrome was not turned on for this session (start with `claude --chrome`), the session uses an API key or long-lived token (run `\/login`), or Claude in Chrome was turned off in `\/mcp` (open `\/mcp`, select claude-in-chrome and turn it on).\n\n- A notice tells Claude that Claude in Chrome is turned on for the session but the browser connection is not working. Claude is told not to try the `mcp__claude-in-chrome__*` tools and to use `WebFetch` and `WebSearch` instead. The notice also points you to `\/chrome` (Reconnect extension) or `\/mcp` to restore the connection. The findings did not trace when this notice is added.\n\n**Why**\n\nWith a dead browser connection, you get a Reconnect button that works and a message saying what to do. Claude is steered toward the other web tools instead of repeatedly calling browser tools that cannot respond.\n\n- Area: Chrome & Browser\n- Names: `\/chrome`\n- Tier: Use it now\n- Useful: 3\/5\n- Signal: 1\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: no"}