/insights: clicking the report link shows 'Couldn't find this file' when file is outside the working directory

Status Open
Maintainer reply None cached
Activity 0 comments · opened Sep 10, 2026

Bug report

Command: /insights

What happens:
The /insights slash command generates a usage report and returns a file:// link to the HTML file (e.g. file:///home/user/.claude/usage-data/report-YYYY-MM-DD-HHMMSS.html).

When the user clicks that link inside the Claude desktop app (Code tab), the app shows:

Couldn't find this file It may have been deleted, or it lives outside the working directory.

The file exists on disk and is readable; the problem is that the app only resolves links that are relative to the current working directory (or within it). Because /insights stores the report under ~/.claude/usage-data/ — outside any project folder — the link is always broken when the session has no project folder open (scratch workspace) or when the project folder is elsewhere.

Environment:

  • Claude desktop app (Code tab), Linux
  • Session working directory: scratch workspace (no project folder)
  • Report path: /home/user/.claude/usage-data/report-*.html

Expected behaviour:
Clicking the link opens the HTML report, regardless of whether the file is inside or outside the current working directory.

Suggested fixes (pick one):

  1. Resolve file:// absolute paths in the desktop app without restricting to the working directory.
  2. Have /insights copy or symlink the report into a location always accessible (e.g. a temp HTTP server, or the scratch workspace).
  3. Open the report automatically in the system browser instead of rendering an in-app link.

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