[BUG] VS Code: Claude isn't told when Focus view is toggled mid-session

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?

If you turn Focus view on or off during a session in the VS Code extension, Claude never finds out. Its system prompt keeps describing the mode the session started in, so it keeps writing for the wrong view. In Focus view it assumes I only see its final message and holds everything back for the end. With Focus view off, that's the wrong behaviour, and Claude has no way to notice.

What Should Happen?

Claude's context should follow the toggle, or Claude should at least get a note that the view changed. The extension already sends mid-session notes for other changes (an "Environment update" when the working directory changes), so the same kind of note on a Focus view toggle would do it.

Error Messages/Logs

None. Nothing errors; Claude just keeps the old state.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Start a session with Focus view on.
2. Turn it off with the chat-menu toggle, Ctrl+Alt+F or "Claude Code: Toggle Focus view". The user settings now have "claudeCode.focusView": false.
3. Send a message asking Claude whether Focus view is on.
4. Toggle again and ask again.

Claude answers that its prompt still includes "The user has focus mode enabled", whatever the real state.

Claude Model

Not sure / Multiple models

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.287 (also seen on 2.1.282/2.1.283)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

• I toggled it four times over two sessions (29 Sep and 3 Oct). The settings file was right every time; Claude only knew the real state when I had it read the file.
• The prompt seems to expect this to update: its section on the editor's Focus view says it "applies only while" the focus mode section is present, but that section never goes away.
• /focus in the VS Code extension replies "/focus isn't available here yet", so the toggle is the only way to switch here.