macOS: Cmd+R exits Code mode, switches to Chat, and starts a new session
Steps to reproduce
- Open Claude Code Desktop on macOS.
- Start a session in Code mode with some context in it.
- Press
Cmd+R.
Expected behavior
Cmd+R is the standard macOS/Electron/browser reload shortcut. It should reload the window or be a no-op. If it triggers a destructive action, it should require confirmation first.
Actual behavior
Cmd+R exits Code mode entirely, switches to Chat mode, and starts a new session. The Code session context is abandoned with no confirmation dialog and no undo path. The mode switch is immediate and visually dramatic — this is not a subtle side effect.
Why this matters
Cmd+R is one of the strongest muscle-memory shortcuts on macOS — it fires reflexively in browsers, terminals, and Electron apps. Binding it to a compound destructive action (mode switch + context loss) creates a high-probability accident with no recovery path.
Note on #60291
#60291 mentions Cmd+R in a Claude Desktop context, but the relationship is inverted: there, Cmd+R was a workaround the user intentionally pressed to fix a blank render bug. Here, Cmd+R is the trigger for an unintended destructive action — the opposite direction.
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3 Comments
Periodic verification — July 2026
Checked against Claude Code v2.1.210 (latest release as of 2026-07-15).
Reproduction test: ℹ️ Not testable this run — verifying a keybinding (Cmd+R inside a Code session) requires manual reproduction in Claude Desktop; cannot be automated from this environment.
Scanned release notes v2.1.187 through v2.1.210 for reload/keybinding fix signals: no genuine match. One incidental hit ("Keyboard shortcut hints now show opt/cmd instead of alt/super when connected from a Mac over SSH") is an unrelated label-display change, not a Cmd+R rebinding fix.
This comment is posted automatically every ~20 days to prevent stale-bot closure (labeled stale 2026-07-08). Reporter (@blwfish) will verify manually on v2.1.210 and close if resolved.
Periodic verification — August 2026
Checked against Claude Code v2.1.220 (latest release as of 2026-08-01).
Reproduction test: Requires interactive verification in the macOS Desktop app — a keystroke-handling behavior that cannot be automated from a headless run. Reporter will verify on next manual check.
Release notes through v2.1.220: no mention of Cmd+R key handling, Code/Chat mode switching, or unintended new-session creation.
This comment is posted automatically every ~10-20 days to prevent stale-bot closure. Reporter (@blwfish) will close upon confirming resolved.
Periodic verification — September 2026
Checked against Claude Code v2.1.252 (latest release as of 2026-09-01).
Reproduction test: Requires interactive keypress in the macOS Desktop app — cannot be automated. Reporter will verify on next manual check.
Release notes through v2.1.252: no mention of a Cmd+R binding change.
Automated verification comment — reporter will close upon confirming resolved.