### Preflight Checklist - [x] I have searched [existing issues](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20state%3Aopen%20label%3Abug) 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 running Claude Code in Windows 11 CMD, after entering the CLI via the `claude` command, double-clicking the left arrow key to open the Agent View and

[BUG] Agent View (via double-click left arrow) Esc exit causes CLI hang and terminal misalignment

Status Fixed / completed

Reported on v2.1.161

Maintainer reply ✓ Yes — bcherny

Activity 4 comments · opened Jun 3, 2026 · closed Aug 19, 2026

💡 Likely answer: A maintainer (bcherny, collaborator) 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?

When running Claude Code in Windows 11 CMD, after entering the CLI via the claude command, double-clicking the left arrow key to open the Agent View and then pressing Esc causes Claude to hang for several seconds on the normal transcript before exiting entirely. Additionally, CMD exhibits terminal rendering/display misalignment artifacts after this sequence. However, launching directly into Agent View via claude agents and then exiting does not reproduce the display misalignment issue.

What Should Happen?

Pressing Esc in Agent View launched by claude should dismiss the view and return to the normal chat interface without exiting Claude Code or causing any terminal rendering corruption.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Open CMD on Windows 11
Run claude to enter interactive CLI
Double-click left arrow key to navigate into Agent View
Press Esc to exit Agent View
Observe: Claude hangs on the chat interface for several seconds, then exits completely
Observe: CMD displays terminal misalignment/rendering artifacts after exit

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.161 (Claude Code)

Platform

Other

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

The display misalignment only occurs when entering Agent View from the standard claude command flow, not from claude agents directly
Suspected root cause may be incomplete terminal state restoration (e.g., cursor position, alternate screen buffer) when transitioning between views via the claude entry point

View original on GitHub ↗

3 Comments

github-actions[bot] · 4 months ago

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

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

Jeffreycitron · 2 months ago

Also reproducible on macOS with the current version (2.1.214), so this is not Windows/CMD-specific. On macOS there is no hang or rendering corruption — pressing Esc in the Agent View simply quits Claude Code entirely and drops back to the shell prompt.

Steps to reproduce

Start claude in interactive mode.
With an empty prompt, press the left arrow key once — the agent view (parallel-sessions panel) opens.
Press Esc.

Expected: Return to the session/main prompt. Per the agent view docs, Escape should only exit the agent view and return to the session; the only documented quit shortcut is Ctrl+D pressed twice within ~800ms.

Actual: Claude Code exits completely to the shell.

Environment

Claude Code version: 2.1.214
OS: macOS 26.2 (build 25C56, Darwin 25.2.0)
Terminal: TERM=xterm-256color

bcherny collaborator · 1 month ago

Fixed in 2.1.163 — changelog: "Fixed terminal misalignment and a multi-second hang when exiting the agent view by pressing Esc" (https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md). Closing — reply to reopen if it still happens on the latest version.