Learn one feature at a time
Claude Code permission modes explained
Choose how much Claude can do.
Compare all six permission modes and identify the controls available in your interface.
Start with this comparison
| Mode | Approval behavior | Suggested use |
|---|---|---|
Manual (default) | Prompts according to tool rules; built-in read-only actions can run without prompts. | Learn what each action does. |
| Plan | Analyze before edits; command execution still depends on permissions. | Explore unfamiliar changes. |
| Accept Edits | Approve supported file edits and common filesystem commands automatically. | Review a small agreed change. |
| Auto | Background checks decide many actions instead of asking you. | Bounded work with reviewed access. |
dontAsk | Deny actions that would need a prompt. | Advanced automation with explicit allowances. |
bypassPermissions | Skip permission checks. | Isolated environments only; avoid as a beginner. |
Cloud sessions offer Auto, Accept Edits, and Plan. The six-mode list describes Claude Code overall, not six choices in every interface.
Why a session may already say Auto
With Claude Code v2.1.283 or later, Auto is the built-in starting mode for interactive terminal and VS Code sessions on every plan and provider. On earlier supported versions, it starts in Auto only for Pro, Max, and Team sessions that fetch feature flags. The earlier Auto default requires v2.1.228 or later on macOS, Linux, and WSL, or v2.1.233 on native Windows.
Starts in Manual: With v2.1.302 or later, claude -p and Agent SDK sessions with no permission mode set start in Manual, including on third-party providers such as Amazon Bedrock, with telemetry turned off, or on a fresh install. Pass --permission-mode auto to claude -p, or set the SDK permission mode to auto, to start in Auto when available. Before v2.1.302, these sessions could start in Auto when they did not fetch feature flags, such as on a third-party provider or with telemetry off. Any session with disableAutoMode set to disable starts in Manual. Auto also falls back to Manual when unavailable. A user or managed default, saved choice, first-session feature flag timing, and VS Code or Desktop precedence can change the starting mode. Setting "auto" in project .claude/settings.json or .claude/settings.local.json does not take effect. Check the active indicator before work.
A practical first session
- Choose a practice repository.
- Check the active mode and select Plan to explore.
- Ask for a small proposed change and how to test it.
- Review the plan, then select an editing mode deliberately.
- Inspect the diff and test results before publishing.
Model choice and permission mode do different jobs. A model is the reasoning engine; a permission mode controls how actions are approved. Neither replaces backups or review.
References
- Anthropic. (n.d.-f). Choose a permission mode. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes
- Phillippi, C. (2026, August 7). Auto mode is now the default in Claude Code for Pro, Max, and Team plans. https://claude.com/blog/auto-mode-default-in-claude-code
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