Claude Code v2.1.79 Released - Authentication Improvements and Memory Optimization

Anthropic released Claude Code v2.1.79 on March 18, 2026. This version brings authentication improvements, memory usage optimization, and new features for the VSCode extension.

Key New Features

Console Authentication Support

Added --console flag to claude auth login command for Anthropic Console (API billing) authentication.

Setting Option Added

Added “Show turn duration” toggle to the /config menu, allowing users to choose whether to display turn execution time.

Memory Optimization

Startup memory usage reduced by approximately 18MB across all scenarios.

Non-Streaming API Improvement

Non-streaming API fallback now includes a 2-minute per-attempt timeout, preventing sessions from hanging indefinitely.

Plugin Seed Directory Support

CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_SEED_DIR environment variable now supports multiple seed directories separated by the platform path delimiter (: on Unix, ; on Windows).

VSCode Extension Features

Remote Control Command

Added /remote-control command to bridge your session to claude.ai/code, allowing you to continue from a browser or phone.

AI-Generated Session Titles

Session tabs now receive AI-generated titles based on your first message, making session management easier.

Thinking Display Fix

Fixed the thinking pill showing “Thinking” instead of “Thought for Ns” after a response completes.

Security and Stability Fixes

• Fixed claude -p hanging when spawned as a subprocess without explicit stdin
• Fixed Ctrl+C not working in -p (print) mode
• Fixed /btw returning the main agent’s output instead of answering the side question during streaming
• Fixed voice mode not activating correctly on startup when voiceEnabled: true is set
• Fixed left/right arrow tab navigation in /permissions
• Fixed custom status line showing nothing when workspace trust is blocking it
• Fixed enterprise users being unable to retry on rate limit (429) errors
• Fixed SessionEnd hooks not firing when using interactive /resume to switch sessions

Changes

Claude Code v2.1.79 is announced as part of the daily release cycle, focusing on usability and stability improvements.