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To pick up your latest Claude Code conversation, open a terminal in the relevant project directory and run claude --continue (or claude -c). To reopen a particular conversation, use claude --resume <session-id-or-name> (or claude -r). For a reliable handoff, pair the conversation with persistent project guidance in CLAUDE.md and a short note stating the task’s current status and next action.
Choose the right way to resume
Claude Code offers two different ways to return to conversational work: continue the latest conversation associated with the current directory, or select a specific saved session. They are not interchangeable in every mode.
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| What you need | Start with | Important check |
|---|---|---|
| Continue the latest conversation in this directory | claude --continue or claude -c |
Interactive continuation excludes sessions created with claude -p or the Agent SDK, and sessions whose first prompt was /loop. In print mode, claude -p --continue includes print, SDK, and /loop sessions. See Anthropic’s CLI reference. |
| Return to a particular conversation | claude --resume <session-id-or-name> or claude -r <session-id-or-name> |
In an interactive terminal, omit the identifier to open a session picker. Session lookup behavior can vary by CLI version; consult the current CLI reference. |
Continue the latest conversation
- Open the project directory. In your terminal, change to the checkout you intend to work in before starting Claude Code.
- Continue the conversation. Run
claude --continueor its short form,claude -c. The CLI reference describes this as loading the most recent conversation in the current directory. - Recheck what is true now. Give Claude a concise instruction such as: “Read the current diff and the handoff note, verify what is still true, then continue with the next action.” This wording is a practical prompt, not a special CLI command.
Resume a particular session
- Identify the session. Use its ID or name if you have it. In an interactive terminal, you can instead run
claude --resumeorclaude -rwithout an identifier and choose from the session picker. - Resume it. Run
claude --resume <session-id-or-name>orclaude -r <session-id-or-name>. Anthropic’s CLI reference says an ID search checks the current project and Git worktrees, then other projects on that machine. - Check the checkout, not just the transcript. If you use multiple worktrees, confirm the intended directory and ask Claude to inspect the branch, working tree, and relevant files. Finding a conversation across worktrees does not mean those checkouts have identical repository state.
If the expected session is missing, confirm that you started from the intended directory and check your installed CLI version against the current reference. Session lookup and background-session behavior have changed across recent releases, so older instructions may not describe the version you are running.
Write a handoff note for the work that changed
A saved conversation is useful context, but it does not replace a clear account of what the task needs next. Keep a brief note in the repository or another location available to the next session. Include only claims you can verify:
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- Goal: the outcome the work is intended to achieve.
- Current status: what is complete and what remains.
- Changes: the files, components, or behaviors touched.
- Verification: commands or checks actually run, with their results. Mark checks that were not run instead of implying they passed.
- Decisions and constraints: choices the next session should preserve unless new evidence warrants revisiting them.
- Next action: the first concrete step to take.
Ask the resumed session to compare the note with the current diff, branch, and relevant files before acting. A handoff note records what someone believed at the time it was written; it is not proof that code or tests have stayed unchanged.
Put lasting project context in the right place
Anthropic’s memory documentation says, “Each Claude Code session begins with a fresh context window.” Its guidance distinguishes user-written instructions from Claude-written learnings:
- Project
CLAUDE.md: use it for durable, shared project guidance such as architecture, coding conventions, build and test commands, and team workflows. - Auto memory: use it for learnings and patterns Claude writes down, including preferences, corrections, and project details that are not easy to infer from the code.
Both load at the start of each conversation, but Anthropic describes them as contextual guidance, not enforced configuration. Keep a CLAUDE.md specific and verifiable: an exact build or test command is more useful than a broad request to “test changes.” Instructions closer to the working directory load later in the concatenated context, according to the memory guide.
If a repository uses AGENTS.md, check the current memory guide for when Claude Code reads it and how it interacts with CLAUDE.md. Direct AGENTS.md reading requires Claude Code v2.1.277 or later; other cases depend on configuration. Use /context to check what context has loaded. For controls that must be enforced rather than presented as guidance, use settings or hooks instead of relying on instruction files.
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Resuming a transcript brings back a conversation; project instructions supply recurring context; a handoff note describes the immediate state and next step. These solve different problems. A concise restart can bring them together: “Check the current branch and diff, read the project instructions and handoff note, verify the reported status, then do the next action.”
CLI flags and session behavior are version-sensitive. For the latest syntax and exclusions, use the CLI reference; for what instructions and memory load, use the memory guide. Anthropic’s interactive mode documentation is also relevant when working in the terminal.
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