Spacebar intermittently types literal 'space' string instead of space character

Status Fixed / completed
Reported on v2.1.1
Maintainer reply None cached
Activity 6 comments · opened Jan 8, 2026 · closed Jan 9, 2026

Description

When pressing the spacebar, approximately 30-40% of the time the literal string "space" is typed instead of an actual space character. This started occurring around January 7, 2026.

Environment

  • Claude Code version: 2.1.1
  • OS: macOS Darwin 24.6.0
  • Terminal: iTerm.app (xterm-256color)
  • Input mode: Vim mode enabled
  • Window manager: Amethyst

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Run Claude Code in iTerm with vim mode enabled
  2. Type normally, pressing spacebar between words
  3. Observe that ~30-40% of spacebar presses insert the literal string "space" instead of a space character

Expected Behavior

Spacebar should always insert a space character.

Actual Behavior

Spacebar intermittently inserts the literal string "space" instead of a space character.

View original on GitHub ↗

6 Comments

github-actions[bot] · 7 months ago

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

  1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/16730
  2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/16766
  3. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/16919

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

jamesmandrews · 7 months ago

To help solve this, I can confirm it happens and only when I hold shift and space. I type fast so sometimes I don't release the shift key before I press space so when I type "I" sometimes it shows up as "Ispace" because I haven't released the shift key fast enough.

Teo-Asinari · 7 months ago

@jamesmandrews Wait, now I am beginning to think I was unwittingly hitting the shift key this whole time. Since that will be hard to stop (mechanically) for me, is there a way to disable it? @jamesmandrews

jordanyeo · 7 months ago

+1ing that holding shift and space returns the word 'space', assuming it's part of the shift-enter support

Teo-Asinari · 7 months ago

Closing as duplicate.

github-actions[bot] · 7 months ago

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.