[BUG] Remote Control Model Selector Defaults to EXTRA effort with no changeability, overrides local CLI

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?

Model Selector in Claude Code's Remote Control feature defaults to EXTRA effort when local cli default is set otherwise. The function completely ignores local effort setting, has no way to set a new default, AND changing the effort reverts itself back to Extra each and every time Remote Control is closed and opened again.

What Should Happen?

• FIRSTLY Anthropic should have disclosed to all users that Remote Control usage would default to EXTRA, thus overriding local settings. This seems like an incredibly shady implementation especially for users operating by default at lower effort levels
• Remote Control effort setting should MATCH local CLI default effort
• Changing the effort level while in the Remote Control environment should result in that level PERSISTING, not resetting with each RC access
• If remote effort level _must_ override the local CLI default, then users should at least be able to set their own desired RC default. Default is currently hard locked to Extra.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open a Remote Control session via mobile app
2. Navigate to 3-dot menu while in RC session
3. Select Change Model
4. Scroll down to Effort to see it is set to Extra, regardless of your local CLI default, tap to change
5. See that one cannot set their own default effort
6. Change to any other effort level
7. Exit to Session Selection Screen and Navigate back to the same RC conversation
8. Navigate back to Effort selection to see it has reverted back to Extra

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.214

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

IMPACT:

• Users who default to lower effort settings locally have been unknowingly consuming higher effort while in remote control, thus severely impacting their token usage
• I personally travel a great deal and have used Remote Control daily for non-coding tasks. EXTRA effort is overkill and to discover that I've been unknowingly operating at that effort level is utterly devastating and frustrating.
• Using Remote Control becomes extremely not worth it if forced to be far more expensive than needed, and if having to constantly set the effort level with each and every opening of the app, just to avoid that expense.
• Overall negatively affects my valuation of Claude Code's usability for my particular line of work