›_ Claude Code Issues
Claude Code Issues / #49689

[BUG] Opus 4.6 removed from Claude Desktop Code tab model picker after Opus 4.7 release

Resolved 💬 20 comments Opened Apr 17, 2026 by TrudosKudos Closed Apr 21, 2026
💡 Likely answer: A maintainer (amorriscode, contributor) responded on this thread — see the highlighted reply below.

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?

After the Opus 4.7 release on April 16, 2026, Opus 4.6 is no longer available in the Code tab of the Claude Desktop app (macOS). The only Opus option now resolves to Opus 4.7. There is no way to select or pin Opus 4.6 from the Code tab UI.

This issue is specific to the Code tab. The Claude.ai chat interface and Claude Cowork both still expose multiple model options in their respective model dropdowns. Only the Code tab's model picker has had Opus 4.6 removed.

Additionally, the /model command (documented for Claude Code CLI) does not work in the desktop app's Code tab, so there is no fallback to manually specify claude-opus-4-6 within the desktop interface.

Impact

Opus 4.7 ships with a new tokenizer that can produce up to ~35% more tokens for the same input text. Without the option to fall back to Opus 4.6, usage is being burned significantly faster — particularly for users on plans with message or token quotas. Users should have the ability to choose 4.6 while evaluating the cost/performance tradeoff of the new tokenizer.

Expected Behavior

Opus 4.6 should remain selectable in the Code tab's model picker alongside Opus 4.7, or at minimum, users should have a documented path to pin a specific model version from the desktop app UI — consistent with the CLI's /model claude-opus-4-6 and environment variable options.

Environment

  • Claude Desktop version: 1.3109.0
  • Platform: macOS
  • Affected surface: Code tab only (Claude.ai chat and Cowork are unaffected)

Additional Context

  • The Claude Code docs confirm /model and ANTHROPIC_MODEL env var as model pinning options, but these only apply to the CLI, not the desktop app's Code tab.
  • GitHub Changelog confirms Opus 4.7 is replacing 4.5 and 4.6 in model pickers, but no deprecation notice was shown in the desktop app UI before removal.
  • Related older issues: #34279, #36351, #40095

View original on GitHub ↗

20 Comments

github-actions[bot] · 3 months ago

Found 2 possible duplicate issues:

  1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/36351
  2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/36603

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

  • If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

TrudosKudos · 3 months ago
Found 2 possible duplicate issues: 1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/36351 2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/36603 This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days. - If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead - To prevent auto-closure, add a comment or 👎 this comment 🤖 Generated with Claude Code

This is not a duplicate and was incorrectly labeled as such.

ghostoid · 3 months ago

Same issue. Tried this in settings.json:

  "env": {
	"ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "claude-opus-4-6[1m]"
  },
  "model": "claude-opus-4-6[1m]",

Also forced to set env vars. It helps for Claude Code CLI, but not for Claude Desktop Code. There is no /model command in CDC.

DC-today · 2 months ago

Removed on Windows 11 Desktop and when using Web Code also now.

As someone else said before "This is a legitimate complaint. Silent model swaps that affect token consumption on capped plans without any in app notice is just bad product behavior."

I agree with them, having just upgraded to Max 2 days ago myself to use Opus 4.6 and have this occur is bitter.

yurukusa · 2 months ago

While the picker doesn't show 4.6 anymore, you can still pin the model via CLI or settings:

claude --model claude-opus-4-6
{
  "model": "claude-opus-4-6"
}

Project-level pinning also works: create .claude/settings.json in your project root with the same content.
Note: even after pinning, Claude Code can sometimes switch models mid-session silently. The model-version-alert hook from cc-safe-setup checks periodically and warns if the model changed.

dragonfax · 2 months ago

People keep posting comments about the CLI I wish they would read even just the title of this issue. This is clearly about Claude Desktop app, not the claude command. The specific the version of Claude Code that runs within the desktop app.

jasonrdunne · 2 months ago

4.6 removal is scummy move from anthropic

DemonMartin · 2 months ago

Anthropic, please fix this. Why let the "Chat" still have the option to use Opus 4.6 but not the "Coding" tab?

Anyone has a workaround for the Desktop App?

CommonDialog · 2 months ago

I understand pruning old models, but 4 days after the model was released. Thank God Open 4.6 is on the web so I can ask it how to get Claude code running on old model.

RajeevRKC · 2 months ago

+1 as a Claude Max × 2 + API subscriber running a ~265-skill Claude Code harness across 14 domain workspaces.

Removing 4.6 as a selectable option removes the only practical downgrade path for long-running agentic workloads where 4.7's instruction-following and post-compaction state retention have visibly regressed vs 4.6. I've seen session crashes (<30 min duration, "crash detected" banner on resume), repeated-mistake loops inside marathon sessions, and rule-set drift after compaction that were rare on 4.6. Keeping 4.6 available lets power users route 4.7 to pure-reasoning tasks and keep 4.6 for orchestration until the regression is addressed.

Please restore 4.6 in the picker, or at minimum commit to parity via CLI /model and .claude/settings.json while the 4.7 issues are triaged.

casinofrancais · 2 months ago

Dans la dernière version Desktop Opus 4.6 est revenu sélectionnable.

1nwooozip · 2 months ago

Still not seeing Opus 4.6 in the model picker on v1.3561.0 (fbc74b, 2026-04-20). macOS.

amorriscode contributor · 2 months ago

You can use /model claude-opus-4-6 to switch the model just like in the CLI.

TrudosKudos · 2 months ago
You can use /model claude-opus-4-6 to switch the model just like in the CLI.

Thank you for adding the /model command to the Desktop Claude Code Tab. I verified this just now and it's working.

amareshkumar · 2 months ago

7.5 counts instead of 3. no option to select 4.6. that is very telling. it is not a bug. it is deliberate business decision.

Antilopax · 2 months ago
You can use /model claude-opus-4-6 to switch the model just like in the CLI.

Sadly this only swiched to the 200k token model. Any chance to enable 4.6 Opus 1M again?

jesusdleguiza944 · 2 months ago
7.5 counts instead of 3. no option to select 4.6. that is very telling. it is not a bug. it is deliberate business decision.

Is there a way to use opus 4.6? Or should we use claude code instead of GitHub Copilot?

benjones0337 · 2 months ago
> 7.5 counts instead of 3. no option to select 4.6. that is very telling. it is not a bug. it is deliberate business decision. Is there a way to use opus 4.6? Or should we use claude code instead of GitHub Copilot?

/model claude-opus-4-6[1m]

BrandonRCopeland · 2 months ago
> You can use /model claude-opus-4-6 to switch the model just like in the CLI. Sadly this only swiched to the 200k token model. Any chance to enable 4.6 Opus 1M again?

/model claude-opus-4-6[1m]

<img width="221" height="187" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/8384463b-768e-4397-b8c6-fc864d66e7d9" />

github-actions[bot] · 2 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.