[FEATURE] Configurable terminal tab title state indicators, including a distinct "waiting for input" state
Preflight Checklist
- [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
- [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)
Problem Statement
Claude Code updates the terminal tab title with emoji to indicate its current state (e.g., · while working, ✳ when idle). However:
- These emoji are hardcoded and cannot be customized
- There are only two states — but "idle because I'm done" and "idle because I'm waiting for your approval" are meaningfully different for productivity
If I'm doing other work in parallel, I have no way to glance at the tab and know whether Claude needs my attention or has simply finished.
Proposed Solution
Allow configuring the tab title emoji per state in settings.json, with an explicit third state for "waiting for user input/approval":
{
"tabTitleIndicators": {
"working": "⏳",
"waitingForInput": "🟡",
"done": "🟢"
}
}
Use Case Example
- I ask Claude to implement a feature while I switch to another window
- Claude hits a permission dialog or
AskUserQuestionprompt and needs my input - With the current behavior, the tab shows the same "done" indicator as when Claude has actually finished — I don't know it needs me
- With this feature, the tab would show a distinct yellow indicator, and I'd know to switch back and respond
Alternative Solutions
The Notification hook partially covers this (fires on permission_prompt), but doesn't cover AskUserQuestion prompts and requires a separate notification system rather than a glanceable in-tab indicator.
Priority
Medium — noticeable productivity improvement when running Claude Code alongside other work
Feature Category
Configuration and settings
Additional Context
Related: #13024 (Add hook for when Claude is waiting for user input) — that issue covers the notification/hook side; this covers the visual tab title side.
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