[BUG] Alt+M keyboard shortcut to cycle modes broken on Windows in 2.1.x
Status Fixed / completed
Reported on v2.1.6
Maintainer reply None cached
Workaround ✓ Mentioned in description ↑
Activity 11 comments · opened Jan 14, 2026 · closed Jan 22, 2026
Preflight Checklist
- [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
- [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
- [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code
What's Wrong?
Description
The Alt+M keyboard shortcut to cycle through modes (plan mode, auto mode, etc.) does not work on Windows in version 2.1.x.
## Environment
- Claude Code version (broken): 2.1.6, 2.1.7
- Claude Code version (working): 2.0.77
- OS: Windows
- Terminals tested: Windows Terminal, WezTerm
## Steps to reproduce
- Install Claude Code 2.1.7 (or 2.1.6)
- Start a new
claudesession - Press Alt+M to cycle modes
- Nothing happens
## Expected behavior
Alt+M should cycle through modes (normal → plan mode → auto mode, etc.)
## Actual behavior
- Alt+M does nothing
- Shift+Tab (documented alternative) also behaves unexpectedly:
- In plan mode: does nothing
- Outside plan mode: shows "toggle thinking with meta+t" instead of cycling modes
## Workaround
Downgrade to version 2.0.77 where Alt+M works correctly:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@2.0.77
## Additional context
This appears to be a regression introduced somewhere between 2.0.77 and 2.1.0.
What Should Happen?
cycle permission modes
Error Messages/Logs
Steps to Reproduce
press alt m and watch nothing happen
Claude Model
Opus
Is this a regression?
Yes, this worked in a previous version
Last Working Version
2.0.77
Claude Code Version
2.1.7
Platform
Anthropic API
Operating System
Windows
Terminal/Shell
Windows Terminal
Additional Information
broken in windows terminal and wezterm on latest version of claude code
11 Comments
Also it seems I cannot disable auto updates so I am stuck using the latest version with the bug
Samesies. AI search told me to use Shift+Tab instead, but that didn't work either. Running Windows Terminal in Windows 11. Windows Claude Code v2.1.6, not WSL.
same for me, latest working version is 2.1.2 npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@2.1.2 --- tried 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.1.6, 2.1.7, same bug, alt+m doesn't work and shift+tab either. Windows 11 25H2 Windows Terminal
same here. please fix.
and yes ... There is no "disable" mode for auto-updates that I could find. so installing at 2.1.2 does not work for long.
you can use this every time you open Claude Code:
npx @anthropic-ai/claude-code@2.1.2
npx @anthropic-ai/claude-code@2.1.2 --dangerously-skip-permissions
v 2.1.7 just dropped and this is still not fixed. I was so disappointed.
To disable auto-update, you can add the following json to C:\Users\username\\.claude\settings.json
Same problem here.
The only work arround I found is to say to claude "enter in plan mode", "enter in auto mode"...
Same problem here. When pressing "?", it shows Ctrl - Shift as the new shortcut but it does exactly as described in bug report.
Atl-m does nothing and Ctrl-Shift show "toggle thinking with meta+t"
This is extremely inconvenient. Neither Alt+M nor Shift+Tab toggle between modes - the only way to enter plan mode is to run /pan command before I start prompting. Sometimes I say in the longer prompt to switch to plan mode, but it gets ignored.
same
Fixed for me in v2.1.9! Thank you
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