Claude Code v2.1.81 Released - Scripting-Focused --bare Flag and Windows Improvements

Anthropic released Claude Code v2.1.81 on March 20, 2026. This version includes 34 changes, focusing on scripting capabilities with the new —bare flag, —channels permission relay, and Windows-specific improvements.

Key New Features

—bare Flag for Scripted -p Calls

A new --bare flag has been added for scripted execution. When used, it skips hooks, LSP, plugin sync, and skill directory walks. It requires ANTHROPIC_API_KEY or an apiKeyHelper via --settings; OAuth and keychain auth are disabled, and auto-memory is fully disabled.

—channels Permission Relay

The new —channels permission relay (research preview) allows channel servers that declare the permission capability to forward tool approval prompts to your phone.

Authentication Fixes

Fixed an issue where multiple concurrent Claude Code sessions required repeated re-authentication when one session refreshed its OAuth token.

Voice Mode Improvements

Fixed voice mode silently swallowing retry failures and showing a misleading “check your network” message instead of the actual error. Also fixed voice mode audio not recovering when the server silently drops the WebSocket connection.

Windows Improvements

Disabled line-by-line response streaming on Windows (including WSL in Windows Terminal) due to rendering issues. Fixed Windows PATH inheritance for Bash tool when using Git Bash (regression in v2.1.78).

MCP Improvements

Improved MCP read/search tool calls to collapse into a single “Queried {server}” line (expand with Ctrl+O). Updated MCP OAuth to support Client ID Metadata Document (CIMD / SEP-991) for servers without Dynamic Client Registration.

Plugin Improvements

Ref-tracked plugins now re-clone on every load to pick up upstream changes. Fixed plugin hooks blocking prompt submission when the plugin directory is deleted mid-session.

Remote Control Improvements

Remote Control sessions now derive titles from the first prompt instead of showing a generic title. Fixed /rename not syncing the title for Remote Control sessions. Fixed Remote Control /exit not reliably archiving the session.

Other Changes

• Changed plan mode to hide “clear context” option by default (restore with “showClearContextOnPlanAccept”: true)
• Fixed /btw not including pasted text when used during an active response
• Fixed a race where fast Cmd+Tab followed by paste could beat the clipboard copy under tmux
• Fixed terminal tab title not updating with an auto-generated session description
• Fixed invisible hook attachments inflating the message count in transcript mode
• Improved ! bash mode discoverability - Claude now suggests it when needed
• Fixed enterprise users being unable to retry on rate limit (429) errors
• Fixed —resume dropping parallel tool results
• Improved @ file autocomplete responsiveness in large git repositories

Community Reaction

v2.1.81 is a focused update prioritizing scripting flexibility and Windows environment improvements. The —bare flag is particularly notable for CI/CD pipeline and automation script use cases.

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Reference: GitHub Release v2.1.81