[Bug] Anthropic API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context window with opus-plan model

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/60707
2. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/61808
3. https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/61692

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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Did you manage to fix ? getting the same

same here

+1

I facing the same issue

Same here in Claude Code

this error caused by your context is getting bigger and touching the limit.

API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context

just clear the context and it will be fixed then u can do conversation again.

My Claude is working on Opus 4.7 1M - Claude Code

It's just showing this for Sonet 4.6 in Chat...

this error caused by your context is getting bigger and touching the limit. API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context just clear the context and it will be fixed then u can do conversation again.

tried it many times, still same

Same here in Claude Code

Currently having the same issue with Claude Code.

Having the same issue - seems like some bug? No way to see how I hit this at all.

Note this is in Sonnet 4.6 Claude Cowork - "
API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context"

same here with 4.6

same here just now 4.6

<img width="427" height="215" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/f7078b22-231b-4bb7-bc20-4968cb78fe2e" />

<img width="745" height="168" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b26d499c-03a4-4ef9-bf32-9d7404d7c276" />

If I switched the model it works

same here, API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard contex

Same issue here, I just turned off the additional credit usage and on again and all my balance instantly went to Minus from like 40€. So did I loose 40€ in like 1 sec? It bypassed my limit by 223%.

<img width="1010" height="893" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/4dd616fe-1f4b-4e51-b813-9d04965cc917" />

I am using the vscode extension with Claude Pro. I have credits to use when I hit my 5 hour rate limit. However, I suspect that Claude quietly switches to a 1M+ context window for complex task, and defaults to chewing through the credits before using the session allowance. I very quickly went from $11 to $22 (which is over my $20 monthly spend cap). I think that Clause should loudly surface when credits are being used preferentially.

this is some bullshit! seems liek clause is scamming us , I am so mad!

What worked for me. Im using the vs-code plugin.
I switched to 4.5 than I run /compact.
Switched back to 4.6 and now it is running again.

I am also getting the same error in Claude Code ( Mac ) while using Sonnet on the 20x Max plan

"API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context"

<img width="1964" height="112" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b02de7b7-91a3-4750-aa09-d32f2e75a679" />

<img width="1848" height="822" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/cc0ff6c6-5c56-453a-9b5a-1f2e5fb20a65" />

Has anyone found a fix for this?

Yeah, I got the same...
I am using Cowork

Same here. Im also using cowork and have 5x max plan

switched to the haiku model, sent a message, then re-selected 4.6, and it solved the problem

Change the model, then paste > disable 1M context in config, and use /compact. When done, switch back to your original model.

This is really some bull! You are already getting paid for the service, but why stop there when you can screw your users over even more!

API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context

Same issue here

constantly happening, why is it closed. sonnet does not compact. it fails into this

Same issue here. Switching to Opus allowed me to continue, but let's see how long this lasts.

<img width="910" height="538" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/45e6c735-3e29-42dc-b094-d11528e664e7" />

<img width="1399" height="691" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/022d5929-632a-4540-8f2d-612a32f278dd" />

same problem

same here, every 10 min or so

same here... It seems the sonnet context is not compacting and then maybe Claude is switching to 1M. Will this be gone when the window resets? Using Haiku for my tasks is pretty sub-optimal.

same

Same here

same

Same problem here unfortunately. It seems it can't compact context well enough, even if the /compact command is used.

same:(

same :/

same here

+1, I've dug a little bit deeper and tested more chats, it appears that Claude can't compact the context early enough, so it gets at 1M really quickly. I've also attempted to use /compact with no success, because when 1M context is reached it can't compact or do anything else without usage credits.

Error messages:
API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context

Error: Error during compaction: API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context

On a different note, even switching models has no effect, and the "--model" command does not work.

I believe that an upgrade to Claude Code completely broke the context counter so Auto - Compacting doesn't work, and just stops working at 1M Context. A feasible workaround would be to periodically use the /compact command manually.

Same issue- API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context

same issue and its closed issue?

OS: Windows 10
Environment: vscode

<img width="1582" height="930" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/918e57e5-b8fb-4505-9c3e-06ef226b9dc6" />

<img width="572" height="184" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/524b0a89-2a73-46a1-90c8-6653a296bf23" />

Install Antigravity and run this for Windows- $path = "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude\settings.json"
$data = if (Test-Path $path) { Get-Content $path | ConvertFrom-Json } else { @{} }
if (-not $data.env) { $data | Add-Member -NotePropertyName env -NotePropertyValue @{} }
$data.env.CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_1M_CONTEXT = "1"
$data | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 10 | Set-Content $path

Same problem here:
API Error: Usage credits required for 1M context · turn on usage credits at claude.ai/settings/usage, or use --model to switch to standard context

Install Antigravity and run this for Windows- $path = "$env:USERPROFILE.claude\settings.json" $data = if (Test-Path $path) { Get-Content $path | ConvertFrom-Json } else { @{} } if (-not $data.env) { $data | Add-Member -NotePropertyName env -NotePropertyValue @{} } $data.env.CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_1M_CONTEXT = "1" $data | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 10 | Set-Content $path

okay thanks for the solution, i already testing on claude code and its works btw...

<img width="618" height="331" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/fa51f6db-527c-4d7d-adc6-ce13aaca7274" />

Interestingly, Sonnet worked again for a while after I switched to Claude Code, but after some time the same problem came back, just like in VS Code.

It seems the issue may be specific to Sonnet rather than the editor itself.

<img width="1389" height="851" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/800b32de-5365-43c0-88b3-c783867396df" />

When it happens (by Claude Code) I just switched to Haiku for example. But this shouldn't be happened, Claude!!!!

Same here.
I'm using Claude Code on macOS 26.
Each time, I have to switch to the Haiku model and then switch back to Sonnet. It’s so troublesome.

<img width="1024" height="77" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2a74d0d2-f6a7-445e-9fec-be321e0de7eb" />

@hieuhuynh93 Hi, I am currently using the Claude Pro version. This isn't an issue caused by my low version, but rather a bug in the Claude Code itself, right? Is there a solution?

Hello everyone, good morning.
For this problem, I followed the step-by-step instructions in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHUSuK9ZB_Q

Specific opusplan + compaction failure scenario (Max plan)

When using opusplan with a long plan-mode session (context accumulates over hours), exiting plan mode switches from Opus → Sonnet. If context exceeds ~200K, Sonnet requires 1M context — which fails on Max since only Opus 1M is included natively.

The compounding problem: auto-compact and /compact also fail at this point, because they too require Sonnet 1M to process the large context. You're completely stuck with no way out from within the session.

Workaround (manual): /model haiku → /compact → switch back to opusplan.

Workaround (env var, from #61692): Set CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_1M_CONTEXT=1 — forces Sonnet to 200K, bypasses the credits gate, compaction works normally.

Suggested fix: opusplan should auto-compact before switching Opus → Sonnet on plan-mode exit, ensuring context fits within standard Sonnet limits. Without this, Max users who do long plan sessions hit an unrecoverable error every single time they try to execute.

Same issue here! With Claude Pro using Sonnet 4.6

<img width="996" height="272" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/a809cfe6-87bf-40ef-a530-4a8818f0d8b7" />

@jungwL

@hieuhuynh93 Hi, I am currently using the Claude Pro version. This isn't an issue caused by my low version, but rather a bug in the Claude Code itself, right? Is there a solution?

It could be like that.
You can do something like my comment: change it to the Haiku model and then change it back to the Sonnet model.
Or try following the instructions from this one: #61692

I found a quick solution who worked for me every time:

• switch to haiku
• compact session
• close & restart
• ask anything to haiku -> u will not see the "Usage credits bla bla message"
• switch back to opus , sonnet or wahtever i was using before

<img width="702" height="428" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7156ab56-6b01-4baf-a9e2-16fd4fe25eb6" />

Seleciona Rewind, seleciona o ponto da conversa, assim ele vai iniciar novo chat compactado, assim não perde o contexto..

<img alt="Image" width="702" height="428" src="https://private-user-images.githubusercontent.com/9054137/603163386-7156ab56-6b01-4baf-a9e2-16fd4fe25eb6.png?jwt=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.XupXpAwi7CZHbTfhzcVzHhtZHLcuSjdObhPYzNe57oU"> Seleciona Rewind, seleciona o ponto da conversa, assim ele vai iniciar novo chat compactado, assim não perde o contexto..

sim, mesma coisa que eu fale, mais eu tou usando o CLI , ñao deja fazer /compact (diz o mesmo: 1M token ... ) o unico jeito que eu encontre foi mudar a haiku. fazer /compact e voltar a opus/sonnet

mais sim, e issa solucao

desculpas pelo meu portugues

Fix that worked for me

exit form claude

open with an editor
~/.claude/settings.json

add to the settings.json the following line
"autoCompactEnabled": true

it should look something like this

{
"autoCompactEnabled": true
}

re-open claude and the issue should be gone.

I am experiencing the exact same issue on my end.

Same issue here.

Same issue.

Same issue, happening just while using Sonnet, with normal context window size, even with empty context after doing /clear.