[Desktop] New-session effort picker shows "X-High" while "ultracode": true in settings.json has Ultracode on
Status Open
Reported on v2.1.293
Maintainer reply None cached
Activity 0 comments · opened Oct 9, 2026
Environment
- Claude desktop app 2.26454.2 (Windows 11), Code tab, UI language Traditional Chinese
- Bundled Claude Code 2.1.293
- Plan: Max 20x
~/.claude/settings.jsoncontains"ultracode": true
What happens
- The new-session screen shows the effort as "超高" (X-High). Nothing indicates Ultracode.
- A session started without touching the picker (in my test, one started from another session) launches with
--effort xhighand noultracodekey in--settings. The app's session record has nosessionSettings.ultracode. - Inside that session Ultracode is on: the "Ultracode is on" reminder is present and the Workflow tool is loaded. It comes from the settings file.
- Selecting Ultracode in the picker applies to that session only. The next new session shows X-High again.
Why it matters
- I can't tell from the picker that Ultracode is on, so I kept selecting it by hand for every session.
- Sessions that don't go through the picker also get Ultracode from the settings file, with no visible sign and higher usage.
Expected
- When Ultracode is on for a session through settings, the effort picker should show it.
- A way to make Ultracode the default for new desktop sessions that is visible in the picker, or have the picker remember the last choice.
Possibly related: #91033 (CLI header shows plain "with xhigh effort" while Ultracode is active).