[DOCS] `AskUserQuestion` tool docs still describe v2.1.198 auto-continue as the default; v2.1.200 made it opt-in via `/config`

Documentation Type

Incorrect/outdated documentation

Documentation Location

https://code.claude.com/docs/en/tools-reference

Section/Topic

AskUserQuestion row in the tools table — the prose paragraph that begins "As of v2.1.198, if you don't respond within 60 seconds the dialog closes on its own".

The matching CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS and CLAUDE_AFK_COUNTDOWN_MS rows in https://code.claude.com/docs/en/env-vars repeat the same claim.

Current Documentation

The AskUserQuestion row currently says:

As of v2.1.198, if you don't respond within 60 seconds the dialog closes on its own: it submits any options you'd already selected and tells Claude you may be away from your keyboard, so Claude proceeds on its own judgment and can re-ask later. A countdown appears for the last 20 seconds. Any keypress keeps the dialog open, and so does a focused window on terminals that report focus. Set the CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS environment variable to change how long Claude Code waits, or to a large value like 86400000, 24 hours, to keep questions open while you're away. This timeout applies only to AskUserQuestion's multiple-choice questions; permission prompts, including plan approval, never auto-resolve on idle

The CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS row mirrors that 60-second default:

How many milliseconds of idle time before an unanswered AskUserQuestion dialog auto-continues without you. Default 60000 (60 seconds). To keep questions open while you're away, set a large value like 86400000 (24 hours). Setting 0 doesn't turn the timeout off; it closes the dialog immediately. Requires Claude Code v2.1.198 or later

What's Wrong or Missing?

A. The auto-continue default is gone in v2.1.200

The v2.1.200 changelog reads:

Changed AskUserQuestion dialogs to no longer auto-continue by default; opt into an idle timeout via /config

After upgrading to v2.1.200, a fresh install does not auto-resolve AskUserQuestion dialogs at 60 seconds. The tools-reference row still frames the 60-second timeout as the platform's normal behavior, with no mention of the new /config opt-in, so users will keep believing the harness times out their questions on its own.

B. The new /config opt-in is undocumented

The release note says you opt into the idle timeout via /config, but neither the AskUserQuestion row, the CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS row, nor CLAUDE_AFK_COUNTDOWN_MS explain which setting that is, where it appears under /config, or what values it accepts. The relationship between the env var and the new /config toggle is not described.

C. The env var default description is now misleading

CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS still says the default is 60000 ms and tells users to set a large value to "keep questions open while you're away." After v2.1.200 the timeout no longer applies unless the user opts in, so the variable's default-behavior text is wrong for any user who has not opted in.

Suggested Improvement

Update the AskUserQuestion row in the tools table to describe the v2.1.200 behavior, for example:

As of v2.1.200, an unanswered AskUserQuestion dialog stays open indefinitely until you answer, dismiss it, or press a key. To opt back into the previous idle timeout, open /config and enable AskUserQuestion idle timeout (off by default). Once enabled, an unanswered dialog auto-continues after the configured idle period, a countdown appears for the last 20 seconds, and any keypress keeps it open. The CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS and CLAUDE_AFK_COUNTDOWN_MS environment variables remain honored when the timeout is enabled. This timeout applies only to AskUserQuestion's multiple-choice questions; permission prompts, including plan approval, never auto-resolve on idle.

Update the matching CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS and CLAUDE_AFK_COUNTDOWN_MS rows in the environment variables reference to note that they only take effect when the /config toggle is enabled, and clarify that the 60000 ms default applies once that toggle is on.

Impact

High - Prevents users from using a feature

Additional Context

Affected Pages:
| Page | Line(s) | Context |
|------|---------|---------|
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/tools-reference | 17 | AskUserQuestion row, "As of v2.1.198…" paragraph |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/env-vars | 138 | CLAUDE_AFK_COUNTDOWN_MS row |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/env-vars | 139 | CLAUDE_AFK_TIMEOUT_MS row |

Total scope: 2 pages affected (1 tools row + 2 environment variable rows).

The release note that introduced this change appears in v2.1.200 (July 3, 2026). A pre-existing issue tracked the original v2.1.198 auto-continue rollout, but v2.1.200 inverted the default and that inversion is what this report is about.