Auto mode

Auto mode lets Claude Code continue a clearly described task with fewer permission prompts. Try it on one small change, learn what happens when an action is blocked, and review the result before using it.

Before you start

• A working Claude Code CLI installation and an account that can use it. This walkthrough uses an interactive terminal session.
• A practice project with a saved working copy and a file you understand, such as a page containing a heading.
• A supported model and permission to use Auto mode. Administrators can disable it; model and provider support can also affect availability.
• One exact change and a way to check it, such as changing “Our services” to “How we can help” and opening that page locally.

Want to do it yourself?

Difficulty

6 out of 10

Estimated completion time

30–60 minutes

Skills you’ll need: Set a narrow task boundary, understand permission blocks, and inspect both the file changes and visible result.

I’ll do it myselfI’d rather get help

How this helps your brand

A bounded task can continue with fewer interruptions while you retain a clear result to inspect. Comparing the changes and running the agreed check helps keep convenience separate from release readiness.

1. 1

   Step 1: Choose a task with a visible finish line

   Start with a heading, a small wording correction, or another change you can inspect yourself. Write down the file, the current behavior, and the expected result.

   For example: change the services page heading, keep its existing link, and check that the page still opens. Save your starting version so you can compare the result. Leave larger tasks until you know how the mode behaves in your project.

2. 2

   Step 2: Start the session in Auto mode

   Open your terminal in the practice project and run claude --permission-mode auto. Check the status bar for auto mode on before sending the task. You can also press Shift+Tab during an interactive session to cycle through the available modes.

   If Auto is unavailable, check the selected model, your organization’s settings, and the current permission-mode documentation. Update an old installation through your usual installation method. Some availability failures require starting a new session later. Continue in Manual mode if you cannot resolve access.

   Tip: Read the active mode rather than assuming a new session started in the mode you expected. Defaults depend on the version and settings.

   Illustrated exampleConfirm the mode before sending the task

   ● ● ●Illustrated terminal · practice project

   Start the session$ claude --permission-mode auto

   ›Your task goes here after checking the mode.

   auto mode on1 Read the active mode

   1

   The command requests Auto mode. The session status confirms which mode is active.

   Shift + Tab

   Cycle through available modes. If Auto is unavailable, continue in Manual mode.

3. 3

   Step 3: Give Claude a bounded request

   Paste the prompt below with your file, wording, and check filled in. Include any work already in progress that Claude must preserve. A concrete request helps both Claude and the permission classifier understand the intended scope.

   Auto mode uses a separate classifier to review actions that need that review. It can approve actions without asking you, or block them. Explicit ask rules still produce prompts. Fewer interruptions do not prove that an action or the resulting code is correct.

4. 4

   Step 4: Read a block before retrying

   If an action is blocked, ask Claude what it tried to do and why that was needed for your change. A heading edit should not require an unexplained operation on another service.

   Run /permissions and inspect Recently denied. For an action you understand and still want, the current CLI lets you select it and press r to retry with manual approval. You can also use Shift+Tab to leave Auto mode and review subsequent permission requests yourself. Repeated classifier blocks can make the session resume prompting.

   If the requested action does not fit your task, narrow the instruction and have Claude choose another approach. Do not approve an operation merely to get past a block.

   Illustrated exampleA block is a reason to inspect the action

   Your task

   Change “Our services” to “How we can help”. Keep the existing link.

   1. 1
      Ask what was blocked

      “What action did you try, and why does this heading edit need it?”

   2. 2
      Inspect the denied action

      /permissions → Recently denied

   Does the action fit your heading change?

   Yes · understood and wantedA local file edit you requested

   Select the denied action and press r to retry with manual approval.

   No · outside the requestAn unexplained external operation

   Narrow the instruction: “Keep this change local. Choose another approach.”

   Want to review subsequent requests yourself? Use Shift + Tab to leave Auto mode.

5. 5

   Step 5: Check the change yourself

   Read the changed files and compare them with your saved starting version. Run the agreed check and inspect its actual result. For a heading change, open the page, read the heading, and follow the existing link.

   If the check fails, give Claude the exact failure and ask for a correction within the same scope. When it passes, save the reviewed version using your normal project workflow. Auto mode is a permission setting; you still decide whether the work is ready.

Make one small change in this practice project.

File or page: [path]
Current wording or behavior: [what exists now]
Required wording or behavior: [exact result]
Check to run: [command or manual steps and expected result]
Existing work to preserve: [details, or none]

Keep the change within this scope. Do not commit, push, deploy, or change external services. If an action is blocked, explain what it was and why you needed it before trying a different approach. At the end, list changed files, the checks you actually ran, their results, and anything you could not verify.