Claude Code v2.1.169: Safe Mode, /cd Command, and Dozens of Bug Fixes

Claude Code v2.1.169 is out with several quality-of-life improvements and critical bug fixes for enterprise users. The headline additions are --safe-mode for troubleshooting and the /cd command for moving sessions without cache loss.

Safe Mode

The new --safe-mode flag (and CLAUDE_CODE_SAFE_MODE environment variable) starts Claude Code with all customizations disabled — CLAUDE.md, plugins, skills, hooks, and MCP servers. Useful for isolating whether a customization is causing issues.

/cd Command

Added /cd command to change the working directory of a session mid-session without breaking the prompt cache. No more starting a fresh session just to work in a different directory.

Enterprise & Admin Features

• disableBundledSkills setting and CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_BUNDLED_SKILLS env var: hide bundled skills, workflows, and built-in slash commands from the model.
• MCP policy enforcement fixed: Enterprise allowedMcpServers/deniedMcpServers policies now apply consistently across reconnect, IDE-typed configs, --mcp-config servers, and first sessions after install. Also fixed slow cold starts for orgs without remote settings.
• Remote-managed settings: Invalid entries now apply remaining valid policies and surface validation errors instead of silently dropping the whole payload.
• Background sessions now preserve flags like --ide, --chrome, --bare, --remote-control across retire→wake, and respawn validation is hardened.
• Background agents no longer ignore project-level env values (e.g., ANTHROPIC_MODEL) when dispatched onto a pre-warmed worker.
• CLAUDE.md too long warning threshold now scales with the model's context window.

Performance Fixes

• Fixed a ~30-50ms UI stall at the start of each turn for macOS users logged in with claude.ai credentials.
• Fixed claude -p being slow or hanging on Windows due to slash-command/skill scan (regression in v2.1.161).
• Reduced CPU usage while responses stream and during spinner animations.
• Restored a default 5-minute idle timeout on Vertex/Foundry; set API_FORCE_IDLE_TIMEOUT=0 to opt out.

UI & UX Fixes

• Up/Down arrows now move through wrapped visual rows of a long input line before jumping to command history.
• Fixed Remote Control stuck on "reconnecting" when OAuth token refresh raced with session resume.
• Fixed Git Credential Manager popup on Windows at startup due to background git commands with no cached credentials.
• Fixed footer hints (e.g., "esc to interrupt") not showing with custom statusline.
• Fixed stale permission prompts reappearing after reattaching to a remote session whose worker died.
• /workflows now opens immediately even while a turn is in progress.
• Fixed claude agents --json omitting blocked and just-dispatched sessions; added --all flag and new id/state fields.
• Fixed agents view garbled frame on WSL in Windows Terminal after navigation.

Miscellaneous

• Improved TaskCreate reliability: malformed inputs are repaired automatically, and validation errors include schema for unloaded tools.
• Better error message when org disables API key authentication, with guidance based on active key source.
• Plugin .in_use PID lock files now swept once per day to prevent accumulation.
• Fixed untrusted project settings being able to set OTEL client-certificate paths without trust confirmation.
• Auto-updater on Windows stops retrying once claude.exe is held by another process.