Claude Code (an AI coding tool that reads and edits code from your terminal, IDE, or desktop app) has a permission mode — a setting that controls how much Claude can do before asking for your approval — called Plan Mode. In Plan Mode, Claude researches your codebase and writes out a plan for what it would change, and only starts editing once you approve that plan. This guide, based on the official documentation, covers how to toggle Plan Mode and how it differs from the default mode.
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Fable 5 and 5.1 subscription (updated September 7, 2026): Claude Fable 5.1, released September 1, 2026, is the current Fable model and Fable 5 is now legacy. Plan terms are the same for both — Max and Team Premium plans include Fable at up to 50% of the weekly usage limit; Pro and Team Standard use usage credits (
What you'll be able to do after reading this
You'll know how to turn Plan Mode on and off, how to review and approve a plan, and how it differs from the default mode. About a 5-minute read.
Before you start
- The Claude Code CLI (the command-line tool you run in a terminal) needs to be installed and signed in.
- This guide assumes you've opened a terminal, moved into your project folder, and started a session with
claude. - Plan Mode is also available in VS Code, the desktop app, and the web (claude.ai/code) — this guide focuses on the terminal CLI and notes where other surfaces differ.
Quick terms
- Permission mode — a setting that controls how often Claude asks for your approval before editing files or running commands.
- Default mode (labeled Manual in the interface) — only reads happen automatically; editing a file or running a command asks for approval every time. Note that, per the official docs (checked September 2026), new sessions on Pro, Max, and Team plans start in auto mode (where a classifier reviews actions instead of you) rather than in this mode, while Enterprise plans and Console API keys start in Manual. A
defaultModein your user settings or a managed setting takes precedence. - acceptEdits (Accept Edits) — file edits and common filesystem commands (like
mkdir,touch,mv,cp) run without asking. - Classifier — a separate safety check that screens risky-looking actions automatically; it's part of auto mode on accounts where auto mode is available.
What is Plan Mode?
Plan Mode tells Claude to research and propose changes without making them: Claude reads files, searches, and runs exploration commands, then writes a plan instead of editing. Edits stay blocked until you approve the plan, with one exception — sessions where all approval checks are skipped (bypass permissions mode).
How to turn Plan Mode on and off
From the terminal CLI, there are three ways to enter Plan Mode.
- Cycle with a shortcut mid-session: press
Shift+Tabuntil the mode you want shows in the status bar. The official docs give the cycle as default → acceptEdits → plan, and a session that started in auto mode (the built-in starting mode on Pro, Max, and Team) goes to default on the first press, so a fresh session on those plans usually needs three presses to reach Plan. The status bar shows⏸ plan mode ononce it's active. On accounts where auto mode is available, the cycle passes through auto after plan before returning to default. - For a single prompt only: prefix your message with
/planto run just that request in Plan Mode without switching your session's mode. - Start a session already in Plan Mode:
claude --permission-mode plan
To leave Plan Mode without approving a plan, press Shift+Tab again.
How to review and approve a plan
Once Claude finishes writing a plan, it presents the plan and asks how to proceed.
- Yes, and use auto mode — approve the plan and continue in auto mode (a mode that runs actions after a background safety check instead of asking each time). On accounts where auto mode isn't available, this option reads "Yes, auto-accept edits" instead.
- Yes, manually approve edits — approve the plan, then review each edit individually as Claude makes it.
- No, keep planning — stay in Plan Mode and tell Claude what to change about the plan.
Press Ctrl+G to open the proposed plan in your default text editor and edit it directly before Claude proceeds.
Note: Plan Mode doesn't block every single write. Writes to protected paths like .git or .claude always prompt separately, regardless of whether you've approved the plan (except in sessions where all approval checks are skipped). You can also set Plan as your project's starting mode by adding {"permissions": {"defaultMode": "plan"}} to .claude/settings.json, so new sessions in that project start in Plan Mode automatically.
How is this different from the default mode?
The key difference is when approval happens. Default mode (Manual) asks for approval one action at a time, right when Claude wants to edit a file or run a command. Plan Mode front-loads all the research first, then presents one complete plan for you to approve at once. If you're about to make a large change across many files and would rather see the whole picture before deciding, Plan Mode fits better than approving edits one by one.
| Mode | Runs without asking | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Manual (default) | Reads only | Getting started, sensitive work |
| Accept Edits (acceptEdits) | Reads, file edits, and common filesystem commands (mkdir, touch, mv, cp, etc.) | Iterating on code you're already reviewing |
| Plan (plan) | Reads by default; on accounts with auto mode available, also commands that pass a safety check | Exploring a codebase before changing it |
When Plan Mode is useful
Plan Mode helps when you want to confirm the direction before any code actually changes. Good moments to use it: before a refactor that touches many files, so you can see which files Claude intends to touch and how; when you're getting oriented in an unfamiliar codebase and want to understand its structure first; or before a change that would be annoying to undo, so you can align on direction during the planning step. If you already know the direction and just want to iterate quickly, Accept Edits mode is more convenient.
Common sticking points
- Pressing Shift+Tab landed on Manual or Accept Edits, not Plan — the cycle order is default → acceptEdits → plan, and a session that started in auto mode goes to default first, so one press rarely reaches Plan. Keep pressing until the status bar shows
⏸ plan mode on, or start the session withclaude --permission-mode plan. - A specific file edit still asks for approval even after I approved the plan — writes to protected paths such as
.gitor.claudeare designed to always prompt separately. That's expected behavior. - The desktop app didn't remember I picked Plan last time — the desktop app remembers your last-picked mode per folder, but Plan is the one exception: it applies only to the current session, not future ones.
- The mode list looks different in a cloud (web) session — cloud sessions on claude.ai/code only offer Accept Edits, Plan, and Auto — Manual and Bypass permissions aren't available there. For the exact labels shown, check the interface you're using directly.
Next steps
Once Plan Mode feels natural, it's worth learning Accept Edits mode too, for when you're iterating on code you've already reviewed and want fewer prompts. Depending on your project, you might also consider locking the starting mode itself to Plan in .claude/settings.json.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What's the shortcut to turn on Plan Mode?
In the terminal, press Shift+Tab until the status bar shows ⏸ plan mode on. The documented cycle is default → acceptEdits → plan, and a session that started in auto mode goes to default on the first press. To start in Plan Mode directly, run claude --permission-mode plan.
Q. Does Plan Mode really block every edit?
Yes — unless you're in a session where all approval checks are skipped, source file edits are blocked until you approve the plan. Writes to protected paths like .git still prompt separately regardless.
Q. What mode does approving a plan switch me into?
It depends on which option you pick: choosing auto mode continues with background safety checks instead of prompts, while choosing manual approval means you review each edit individually.
Q. Can I use Plan Mode in VS Code or the desktop app?
Yes. VS Code shows a "Plan" option in the mode indicator below the prompt box, and the desktop app has a mode selector next to the send button. One difference: in the desktop app, picking Plan applies only to that session and isn't remembered per folder like other modes are.
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- Claude Code Use Cases: Explore, Debug, Refactor, Test, and PR Workflows
- Claude Code GitHub Integration — Automate PRs and Reviews with @claude
- Claude Code Slash Commands — Built-in Commands and Custom Ones
- Claude Code Subagents — Specialized AI to Isolate Side Work
- Automating Repetitive Tasks with Claude Code Headless Mode (claude -p)