[DOCS] Package-manager install docs still describe Homebrew and WinGet as manual-update only

Documentation Type

Incorrect/outdated documentation

Documentation Location

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

Section/Topic

"Install Claude Code" Homebrew/WinGet tabs and the "Update Claude Code" section

Current Documentation

The docs currently say:

Native installations automatically update in the background. You can configure the release channel to control whether you receive updates immediately or on a delayed stable schedule, or disable auto-updates entirely. Homebrew, WinGet, and Linux package manager installations require manual updates. Homebrew, WinGet, apt, dnf, and apk installations do not auto-update. For Homebrew, run brew upgrade claude-code or brew upgrade claude-code@latest, depending on which cask you installed. For WinGet, run winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode.

The install tabs also say:

Homebrew installations do not auto-update. Run brew upgrade claude-code or brew upgrade claude-code@latest, depending on which cask you installed, to get the latest features and security fixes. WinGet installations do not auto-update. Run winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode periodically to get the latest features and security fixes.

No documentation currently exists for CLAUDE_CODE_PACKAGE_MANAGER_AUTO_UPDATE on the environment variables page.

What's Wrong or Missing?

These pages now describe Homebrew and WinGet installs as manual-update only, but v2.1.129 added CLAUDE_CODE_PACKAGE_MANAGER_AUTO_UPDATE for those installation methods.

That leaves three gaps under one root cause: the docs have not been updated for the new package-manager auto-update behavior.

A. The current update guidance is now outdated

The setup, overview, and quickstart pages say Homebrew and WinGet installations "do not auto-update" without explaining the new opt-in behavior.

B. The new environment variable is undocumented

There is no env-vars entry explaining that CLAUDE_CODE_PACKAGE_MANAGER_AUTO_UPDATE enables background package-manager upgrades for Homebrew and WinGet installs.

C. The restart prompt behavior is undocumented

The docs do not explain that, when this variable is set, Claude Code runs the package-manager upgrade command in the background and then prompts the user to restart.

Suggested Improvement

Update the installation and update docs to distinguish the default behavior from the new opt-in behavior added in v2.1.129.

Suggested wording for the update section:

Homebrew and WinGet installations are manual-update by default. If CLAUDE_CODE_PACKAGE_MANAGER_AUTO_UPDATE is set, Claude Code can run the appropriate package-manager upgrade command in the background for Homebrew and WinGet installations, then prompt you to restart after the upgrade completes.

Also add an env-vars entry that documents:

• supported installation types (Homebrew and WinGet)
• that the upgrade runs in the background
• that Claude Code prompts for restart after a successful upgrade
• the package-manager command Claude Code runs for each installer

Impact

Medium - Makes feature difficult to understand

Additional Context

Affected Pages:

| Page | Line(s) | Context |
|------|---------|---------|
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/setup | 74-87 | Homebrew and WinGet install tabs say these installs do not auto-update and only show manual upgrade commands |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/setup | 178-189 | Update section says Homebrew and WinGet installs require manual updates |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/overview | 689-702 | Overview repeats the same manual-only Homebrew and WinGet guidance |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/quickstart | 586-599 | Quickstart repeats the same manual-only Homebrew and WinGet guidance |

Total scope: 4 locations affected