remoteControlAtStartup is ignored by the VS Code extension
The feature requested in #46317 now partially exists — "remoteControlAtStartup": true
in ~/.claude/settings.json works correctly for terminal CLI sessions — but the
VS Code extension ignores it entirely, so the original problem remains for
extension users: /remote-control must be typed manually every session.
Environment: Claude Code 2.1.216, VS Code extension (native panel), macOS,
claude.ai OAuth login (paid subscription). No managed settings, noANTHROPIC_API_KEY/ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL overrides.
Expected: with remoteControlAtStartup: true, every session — including
extension panel sessions — auto-connects remote control, as documented
(https://code.claude.com/docs/en/remote-control.md, which says the VS Code
extension supports this from v2.1.203).
Actual: extension panel sessions never auto-connect; the setting is only
honoured by the terminal CLI.
Why there's no workaround in the extension:
- Hooks can't invoke slash commands, and SessionStart hooks don't fire in the
extension panel (#21736)
- No extension command exists to send a slash command from a keybinding (#29752)
claudeCode.useTerminalis defined but never read (#38642)
Related prior reports, closed as duplicate/not-planned: #53647, #41036, #54527.
Remote control is most valuable precisely in always-on workflows — needing a
manual incantation per session defeats it. Could the extension readremoteControlAtStartup at session init, or failing that, expose any hook/
command that can trigger /remote-control?
3 Comments
Can confirm this is still happening. I have "Enable Remote Control for all sessions" toggled on in the VS Code extension's command menu (Settings section), but every time I start a new session I have to manually re-enable it via /remote-control — it doesn't carry over from the setting.
Fixed in Claude Code 2.1.224 (CLI and VS Code extension, both published today).
What was wrong: the extension did receive your
remoteControlAtStartup: truefrom the CLI, but it additionally gated auto-start behind a server-side rollout flag that was off for most users — so an explicit opt-in was silently ignored while/remote-controltyped by hand worked fine. As of 2.1.224 an explicit setting ("remoteControlAtStartup": truein~/.claude/settings.json, or the extension's "Enable Remote Control for all sessions" toggle) auto-starts Remote Control regardless of that rollout flag.To pick it up: update the Claude Code extension to 2.1.224 (it bundles the matching CLI) and start a new session. If a new session still doesn't auto-connect on 2.1.224+, please comment with your extension version and OS and we'll reopen.
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