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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallIf a Claude Code hook appears not to fire on Windows, the cause is usually worth checking in three places: whether the event and matcher apply, whether Claude Code loaded the settings source, and whether the handler can run in the shell it actually uses. Hooks are documented across Claude Code environments, including Windows; the official documentation does not say they generally fail there. Here’s a quick smoke test, followed by nine ways a hook can be skipped, look silent, or fail to enforce the result you expected.
Run a quick hook smoke test
This test checks whether a simple command hook runs when a session starts or resumes. It is a practical diagnostic recipe, not an Anthropic-certified 60-second test; the time it takes depends on your setup.
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- Add a temporary SessionStart hook. In the project’s
.claude/settings.json, configure aSessionStartcommand hook to append a timestamp and event name to a marker file in the project. Use a command that is valid in the shell Claude Code will invoke. Keep the action harmless and the path project-relative where practical. - Start or resume a session.
SessionStartruns when a session begins or resumes. Check whether a new line appears in the marker file. - Inspect the configured hooks. Run
/hooksinside Claude Code. It is a read-only browser that shows configured hooks and where they come from. Confirm your hook is listed and that the settings source is the one you intended. - Test the event you actually need. If the session hook works, add a separate temporary hook for the target event, such as
PreToolUse, using a broad matcher and a harmless tool call. This helps separate an event or matcher mismatch from a shell or command problem. - If it still does not run, check the handler environment. Verify shell selection, executable availability, path quoting, stdin handling and timeout. Claude Code’s
--verboseoption shows turn-by-turn output, but it is not a guaranteed trace of every hook subprocess failure.
Command hooks receive event data as JSON on standard input. A handler can parse it and write an unmistakable marker or log entry; make sure any parser or other dependency it needs is installed in the environment that runs the hook.
How Claude Code hooks are triggered
A hook is attached to a lifecycle event, optionally filtered by a matcher and a narrower if condition. The general shape is event → matcher group → handler. The handler runs only when the event occurs and the applicable filters match.
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| Event | When it runs |
|---|---|
SessionStart |
When a session begins or resumes. |
PreToolUse |
Before a tool call; a hook can block a call using the documented decision mechanism. |
PostToolUse |
After a tool call succeeds. |
PostToolUseFailure |
After a tool call fails. |
Tool-event matchers filter tool names. For example, Bash and PowerShell are distinct names. Matchers can use exact-match or regular-expression behavior, so confirm the pattern actually covers the tool you are testing. An if condition can narrow a matching group further and prevent a handler from starting.
For the full event list, matcher behavior, input format and decision controls, see Anthropic’s Claude Code Hooks reference.
Nine reasons a configured hook may not work as expected
These checks cover hooks that do not run, produce no visible result, or let an action proceed when you expected a guard. They are troubleshooting categories, not nine Windows-specific defects. A logging hook that misses an entry is not necessarily a security failure, and handler errors do not all have the same effect.
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- The hook is attached to the wrong event. A
PostToolUsehook runs after a successful tool call; it cannot intercept the call before execution. UsePreToolUsefor before-call behavior. - The matcher does not match the tool. Check the actual tool name and whether your matcher is exact or a regular expression. A hook for
Bash, for example, does not automatically matchPowerShell. - An
ifcondition filters it out. Even a matching event and matcher group will not start the handler if the group’s narrower condition fails. Temporarily remove that condition and test with a broad matcher before restoring it. - The settings file is in the wrong scope or context. User settings can apply across projects; shared project settings apply to that project; local project settings are local. Hooks can also come from managed policy, plugins, skills or agents. Cloud sessions do not read your local
~/.claude/settings.json. Use/hooksto identify the source Claude Code recognizes. - Effective settings disable hooks.
disableAllHooksor settings precedence may affect what runs. Check effective configuration and any managed controls, not just the file you edited. - The handler assumes the wrong shell. On Windows, Claude Code uses Git Bash by default when Git Bash is installed; if it is not, it uses PowerShell. Shell syntax, expansion and available commands differ. Set the hook’s
shellfield when you need to select PowerShell explicitly. - Exec form tries to launch a
.cmdor.batshim directly. Windows exec form requires a real executable; common npm shims cannot be spawned directly without a shell. Use shell form for the shim, or invoke the underlying script through a real executable such asnode. - The handler cannot read its input or locate its dependencies. Command-hook event data arrives on stdin as JSON. Check that the script reads stdin as intended, its working directory and paths are correct, and tools such as
jqare available in the hook environment. For hooks that return decision JSON, keep stdout usable for that response. - The handler times out or does not return a blocking decision. Timeouts, exit codes and decision behavior depend on the event. Exit code 0 with no decision output is silent: normal permission handling continues. That does not mean every handler failure blocks—or that every action proceeds. Check the selected event’s documented behavior and use permission controls when a denial must be enforced.
Which Windows shell and environment is Claude Code using?
Anthropic lists Windows 10 or later with WSL 1, WSL 2 or Git for Windows. Native Windows use requires Git for Windows; for a portable Git installation, the setup documentation identifies CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH as the way to specify the Git Bash path. See Anthropic’s Claude Code setup page for installation details.
WSL and native Windows with Git Bash are different execution environments. A hook that depends on a particular shell, executable or path convention may work in one and fail in the other. Confirm where Claude Code is running before adapting a script or troubleshooting its dependencies.
The Hooks reference also documents a PowerShell command example using powershell.exe with -NoProfile, -ExecutionPolicy Bypass and -File to run a local script, and shows PowerShell reading JSON stdin with ConvertFrom-Json. These are documented example settings, not universal requirements for every PowerShell hook.
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Choose invocation and scope to match the job
Shell form or exec form?
| Option | Best fit | Windows consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Shell form | A command needs shell features such as shell syntax or a command shim. | It is interpreted by the selected shell, so its syntax and available commands must suit that shell. |
| Exec form | You want to invoke a specific executable with explicit arguments. | The command must name a real executable; a .cmd or .bat shim cannot be spawned directly without a shell. |
User, project or managed scope?
| Scope | Use it when | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| User settings | The hook should follow your account across applicable projects. | Cloud sessions do not read the local user settings file. |
| Shared project settings | The hook belongs with a project’s configuration. | It applies to that project rather than every project. |
| Local project settings | The configuration should remain local to your project environment. | It is local rather than shared project configuration. |
| Managed policy or other documented sources | An organization or a plugin, skill or agent supplies hooks. | Effective settings and source precedence can affect what runs; inspect /hooks. |
Use hooks for workflow, not as the only security boundary
Hooks can observe lifecycle events, automate work and—in supported cases—affect a tool call. But they are not automatically a hard enforcement layer. In particular, the Hooks reference describes Bash if matching as best-effort for complicated commands because the filter may not be able to determine exactly what will execute. Use Claude Code’s permission system for hard allow or deny controls rather than relying on a hook filter as the sole safeguard.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For installation checks, Anthropic recommends claude doctor. It can help identify installation issues, while --verbose can help show turn-by-turn CLI output; neither is documented as a guaranteed trace of every hook subprocess. The current CLI guidance is at Anthropic’s Claude Code CLI reference.
Quick Recap
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