You'll noticeTier: how much it should matter to you
3Useful: my rating, 1 to 5
3Signal: worth watching, 1 to 5
Chrome & BrowserArea: what it touches
ImprovementsKind: in v2.1.290,
ImprovementsSection of the release
Unclear It is not settled whether the startup check itself now ignores project settings or whether only the notice was added.
What
The check that decides whether Claude Code connects to Claude in Chrome when it starts now ignores two settings it used to follow:
In remote and Cowork sessions, claudeInChromeDefaultEnabled is now ignored and Chrome is not connected. In these sessions Chrome connects at startup only if you start with --chrome or with CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_CFC=1 set in the startup environment. Before, the setting was used whenever it was defined.
If a project's settings file sets CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_CFC in its env block, Claude Code now ignores it. At startup it warns that a project can't turn on Claude in Chrome and tells you to run /chrome or start with --chrome to turn it on yourself.
The Chrome setup notification also has new text: "Claude in Chrome", with "Set up Claude in Chrome so this task can use your browser".
Why
A project you open can no longer switch on browser control for you without asking. If you had Claude in Chrome on by default, it now stays off in remote and Cowork sessions unless you turn it on with --chrome or CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_CFC=1.
The entry above is what we published on the day. These lines were added later, as Anthropic's own pages caught up, and they sit beside the original rather than replacing it.
Confirmed sinceAnthropic's documentation has since written up CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_CFC, on Use Claude Code with Chrome.Claude Code ignored CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_CFC in this project's settings: a project can't turn on Claude in Chrome. To turn it on yourself, run /chrome or start with --chrome.chromesee the edit
How sure we are
Something disagreesSomething we can check disagrees with this entry, or the writer said they could not settle it.
The writer flagged doubtIt is not settled whether the startup check itself now ignores project settings or whether only the notice was added.
Anthropic's documentation agreesAnthropic's documentation has since written up CLAUDE_CODE_ENABLE_CFC, on Use Claude Code with Chrome.
Anthropic's release notes agreeFixed /chrome "Reconnect extension" not restoring browser tools after a failed Chrome connection, and added an explanation when it can't…
