[DOCS] Environment variable docs omit `CLAUDE_CLIENT_PRESENCE_FILE` for suppressing mobile push notifications

Documentation Type

Missing documentation (feature not documented)

Documentation Location

https://code.claude.com/docs/en/env-vars

Section/Topic

Environment variables reference and Remote Control mobile push notifications section.

Current Documentation

The environment variables page says:

Environment variables can control Claude Code behavior such as model selection, authentication, request routing, and feature toggles.

The Remote Control page says:

When Remote Control is active, Claude can send push notifications to your phone. Claude decides when to push. It typically sends one when a long-running task finishes or when it needs a decision from you to continue. You can also request a push in your prompt, for example notify me when the tests finish. Beyond the two on/off toggles below, there is no per-event configuration.

The settings page documents the two push toggles:

agentPushNotifEnabled ... Appears in /config as Push when Claude decides inputNeededNotifEnabled ... Appears in /config as Push when actions required

None of these pages mention CLAUDE_CLIENT_PRESENCE_FILE.

What's Wrong or Missing?

Claude Code v2.1.181 adds:

CLAUDE_CLIENT_PRESENCE_FILE environment variable: point it at a marker file to suppress mobile push notifications while you're at the machine

This is currently only in the changelog. Users who enable Remote Control mobile push notifications cannot discover the new presence-file mechanism from the environment variable reference or the mobile push notification docs.

The Remote Control page also currently says "Beyond the two on/off toggles below, there is no per-event configuration." That wording is now incomplete because there is a third suppression mechanism based on local presence.

The docs should clarify:

A. What file state suppresses notifications

For example, whether the file must exist, be recently touched, contain a value, or be removed when the user leaves.

B. How users should maintain the marker

Examples could include setting the variable to a file managed by a shell startup script, a terminal focus hook, a login/logout hook, or another local presence detector.

C. How this interacts with the two existing push toggles

The docs should state whether the presence file suppresses both proactive task-complete pushes and action-required pushes, and whether it only applies while Remote Control is active.

Suggested Improvement

Add CLAUDE_CLIENT_PRESENCE_FILE to env-vars.md, for example:

CLAUDE_CLIENT_PRESENCE_FILE | Path to a local marker file that indicates you are present at the machine. When the marker indicates presence, Claude Code suppresses mobile push notifications. Use this with Remote Control push notifications to avoid phone alerts while you are already at the terminal. Added in v2.1.181. | /tmp/claude-present

Update the Remote Control mobile push notifications section to replace the "no per-event configuration" sentence with wording that includes the presence-file suppression path:

Beyond the two on/off toggles below, Claude decides when individual pushes are useful. To suppress pushes while you are at the machine, set CLAUDE_CLIENT_PRESENCE_FILE to a local marker file; see Environment variables.

If the marker semantics are more specific than file existence, document the exact condition and a minimal example.

Impact

Medium - Makes feature difficult to understand

Additional Context

Affected Pages:

| Page | Line(s) | Context |
|------|---------|---------|
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/env-vars | Environment variable table | Primary place users look for supported env vars |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/remote-control | Mobile push notifications | Currently says there is no per-event configuration beyond two toggles |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/settings | agentPushNotifEnabled and inputNeededNotifEnabled rows | Existing push-notification settings that should cross-reference the presence file |

Version: Claude Code v2.1.181 added CLAUDE_CLIENT_PRESENCE_FILE.