[DOCS] Channels docs still say Console/API key authentication is unsupported

Documentation Type

Incorrect/outdated documentation

Documentation Location

https://code.claude.com/docs/en/channels

Section/Topic

Research preview note and Enterprise controls for --channels

Current Documentation

The docs currently say:

Channels are in research preview and require Claude Code v2.1.80 or later. They require claude.ai login. Console and API key authentication is not supported. Team and Enterprise organizations must explicitly enable them.

The reference page repeats the same requirement:

Channels are in research preview and require Claude Code v2.1.80 or later. They require claude.ai login. Console and API key authentication is not supported. Team and Enterprise organizations must explicitly enable them.

What's Wrong or Missing?

This is outdated as of v2.1.128. --channels now works with Console/API key authentication, but the docs still tell users that Console and API key auth are unsupported.

The current docs also do not connect that new support to the managed-settings requirement for Console organizations: channel delivery still depends on channelsEnabled: true.

That combination creates the wrong troubleshooting path for Console users. Instead of checking their organization's managed settings, they are told their authentication method cannot work at all.

Suggested Improvement

Update the note on both channels pages to reflect the new behavior in v2.1.128.

Suggested replacement text:

Channels are in research preview and require Claude Code v2.1.80 or later. They work with claude.ai login and with Claude Console/API key authentication. For Console organizations, admins must enable channels with channelsEnabled: true in managed settings before channel messages can be delivered.

Also add a short cross-reference from the channels docs to the authentication and settings pages so Console users can verify both their login method and the required managed setting.

Impact

High - Prevents users from using a feature

Additional Context

Affected Pages:

| Page | Line(s) | Context |
|------|---------|---------|
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/channels | 20 | Research preview note says Console and API key authentication are not supported |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/channels-reference | 20 | Repeats the same unsupported-authentication statement |

Total scope: 2 pages affected

Cross-references:

| Page | Line(s) | Context |
|------|---------|---------|
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/authentication | 23, 61-91 | Authentication docs already describe Claude Console as a supported login path |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/settings | 180 | Settings reference already documents channelsEnabled as the managed setting that gates channel delivery |

Behavior changed in v2.1.128.