[DOCS] Interactive mode docs missing queued-prompt editing and slash-command interaction

Documentation Type

Missing documentation (feature not documented)

Documentation Location

https://code.claude.com/docs/en/interactive-mode

Section/Topic

Prompt handling while Claude is already responding, especially queued prompts, Up-arrow recovery, and the interaction with slash commands that run immediately

Current Documentation

The interactive-mode docs currently say:

| Up/Down arrows | Navigate command history | Recall previous inputs |

And later on the same page:

Claude Code maintains command history for the current session: Input history is stored per working directory Input history resets when you run /clear to start a new session. The previous session's conversation is preserved and can be resumed. * Use Up/Down arrows to navigate (see keyboard shortcuts above)

The page also documents one command that runs while Claude is busy:

* Available while Claude is working: you can run /btw even while Claude is processing a response. The side question runs independently and does not interrupt the main turn.

And the built-in commands reference says:

| /status | Open the Settings interface (Status tab) showing version, model, account, and connectivity. Works while Claude is responding, without waiting for the current response to finish | | /effort [low\|medium\|high\|max\|auto] | Set the model effort level. low, medium, and high persist across sessions. max applies to the current session only and requires Opus 4.6. auto resets to the model default. Without an argument, shows the current level. Takes effect immediately without waiting for the current response to finish | | /model [model] | Select or change the AI model. For models that support it, use left/right arrows to adjust effort level. The change takes effect immediately without waiting for the current response to finish |

No current page explains prompt queue behavior, how queued prompts interact with these slash commands, or that Up arrow can retrieve a queued prompt for editing.

What's Wrong or Missing?

Changelog v2.1.85 says:

Fixed prompts getting stuck in the queue after running certain slash commands, with up-arrow unable to retrieve them

The current docs do not explain this user-visible interactive behavior:

A. Prompts can be queued while Claude is already responding

The docs describe command history and a few commands that can run during an active response, but they never explain that a normal prompt may wait in a queue instead of executing immediately.

B. Some slash commands can run immediately while other input is queued

The docs separately note that /btw, /status, /effort, and /model can run while Claude is busy, but they do not explain how those immediate commands interact with a queued prompt that is already waiting.

C. Up arrow is more than generic history navigation in this case

The interactive-mode page describes Up/Down as command-history navigation only. It does not tell users that queued prompts can be pulled back into the input field with Up arrow for editing or recovery.

Because this behavior is undocumented, the v2.1.85 fix reads like an internal queue bug even though it exposes a real, user-facing workflow that should be documented.

Suggested Improvement

Add a short subsection to https://code.claude.com/docs/en/interactive-mode covering queued prompts while Claude is busy. It should explain:

1. that pressing Enter during an active response can queue the next prompt,
2. that some slash commands run immediately instead of waiting for the queue,
3. that Up arrow can pull a queued prompt back into the input box for editing,
4. what users should expect if they run an immediate slash command while another prompt is already queued.

Also add short cross-references in https://code.claude.com/docs/en/commands for commands that explicitly work while Claude is responding, so users can discover the queue interaction from either page.

Impact

Medium - Makes feature difficult to understand

Additional Context

Affected Pages:

| Page | Context |
|------|---------|
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/interactive-mode | Primary input-behavior page; documents history navigation and some while-busy interactions, but not queued prompts or Up-arrow recovery |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/commands | Documents slash commands that execute while Claude is responding, but not how they interact with queued prompts |

Total scope: 2 pages affected

Source: Changelog v2.1.85

Exact changelog entry:

Fixed prompts getting stuck in the queue after running certain slash commands, with up-arrow unable to retrieve them