[BUG] Plan mode broken - "Auto mode is unavailable for your plan" blocks all input
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?
When defaultMode is set to "plan" in ~/.claude/settings.json, every message returns only "Auto mode is unavailable for your plan". No actual response is produced. The session is completely unusable. This happens in both the CLI and VS Code extension. Auto mode was never requested - only plan mode.
What Should Happen?
Plan mode should work independently of auto mode eligibility. Plan mode requires manual approval of tool calls and has no logical dependency on auto mode. Messages should be processed normally.
Error Messages/Logs
Auto mode is unavailable for your planSteps to Reproduce
- Set "defaultMode": "plan" in ~/.claude/settings.json:
{
"permissions": {
"defaultMode": "plan"
},
"skipAutoPermissionPrompt": true
}
- Launch claude (CLI) or open Claude Code in VS Code
- Type any message (e.g., "hello")
- Only response is: "Auto mode is unavailable for your plan"
- Change defaultMode to "default" - "Auto mode is unavailable for your plan" remains
- Open a new context windows in default mode - it works fine.
Claude Model
Not sure / Multiple models
Is this a regression?
Yes, this worked in a previous version
Last Working Version
_No response_
Claude Code Version
2.1.90
Platform
Other
Operating System
Windows
Terminal/Shell
VS Code integrated terminal
Additional Information
Using Claude Max subscription (not API, not Team/Enterprise). The setting skipAutoPermissionPrompt: true has no effect. The defaultMode: "plan" is a valid enum value per the settings schema. It appears plan mode internally tries to check auto mode availability and fails, blocking the entire session instead of falling back to standard plan behavior.
22 Comments
Found 3 possible duplicate issues:
This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.
🤖 Generated with Claude Code
Yup I'm getting the same issues in the native Claude app - just to be safe and check if I was hitting some context rot I started a new session and there it was again. They might be made because Claude Code source leaked, so they might be dealing with that on overdrive.
Those other issues are failing because they try to use auto mode and error says they can't. In my case I am not even using auto mode, it am completely blocked from using plan mode
same here when in plan mode. I have not set anything in settings.json for permissions
having same issue, but then claude code said I need to re-authenticate which worked
same happened to me today
So, I had to ask Claude Cowork to fix it for me — turns out the root cause is in Electron's Local Storage.
The Claude Desktop app persists the Code tab's mode selection in
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/Local Storage/leveldb/.The key
LSS-sidebar-selected-modewas set to "plan". When Plan mode is selected, the app checks auto mode availability, fails the check (sincetengu_violet_kestrel.availablereturns false from the server for non-Team plans), and blocks the entire session instead of falling back gracefully.? Why reinstalling doesn't help: macOS preserves
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/across app reinstalls, so the stale mode selection survives.? Why re-authenticating doesn't help: The mode is stored client-side in LevelDB, not tied to the auth token.
Fix:
Close Claude Desktop (Cmd+Q), then clear the Local Storage and Session Storage:
Relaunch the app — the Code tab defaults to a working mode. Just avoid switching back to Plan mode until this is fixed.
Claude code was stopping with the message "Auto mode is unavailable for your plan" even if I switched over to another option via Shift + Tab. Fixed by putting
"disableAutoMode": "disable",in~/.claude/settings.json.That's the only thing that sorted it for me, thanks
me too
Worked for me too.
See from official anthropic docs
To prevent bypassPermissions or auto mode from being used, set permissions.disableBypassPermissionsMode or permissions.disableAutoMode to "disable" in any settings file. These are most useful in managed settings where they cannot be overridden.
I was also facing this issue and tried everything I found and claude suggested but didn't work, but this fix worked like a charm for me too
Thanks a lot, you saved my day
I added
"disableAutoMode": "disable", in~/.claude/settings.json, then executed/update-configinside Claude Code, it worked.Same issue on Claude Max plan using the "Code" feature inside the Claude Desktop Mac app.
Selecting Plan Mode from the mode selector immediately returns "Auto mode is unavailable for your plan" and blocks all input. The mode selector only shows four options (Ask permissions, Accept edits, Plan mode, Bypass permissions) — Auto is not even listed, yet Plan Mode triggers the Auto eligibility check.
Confirmed NOT reproducible in Claude Code CLI v2.1.109 on macOS Terminal with the exact same account: Plan Mode works correctly there.
So the bug is isolated to the Claude Desktop "Code" integration, not the standalone CLI.
Environment:
Worked for me! Addint the setting to the claude config didn't worked initially
Not fixed, but dupe of #42449
not fixed, still experienced in
Claude Code - Version: 2.1.104. I had to bypass it by quit Claude Code and then resume to that sessionsame issue
Same issue Max x20, Ubuntu
v2.1.119❗ For everyone coming back to this, please first test this solution before writing a comment
🚀 It seems to have worked for a lot of us
btw it works if you
/model opusThis 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.