Claude Code v2.1.200: Manual Is the New Default Mode — What Changed and How to Adapt

TL;DR: v2.1.200 renames the 'default' permission mode to 'Manual' and stops AskUserQuestion from auto-continuing — both on by default, so check your configs and CI scripts now.

Two significant behavior changes landed in v2.1.200 (July 3). Both are opt-out rather than opt-in — you get the new behavior unless you configure otherwise.

1. "default" mode is now "Manual"

The permission mode previously called "default" is renamed to "Manual". This mode requires explicit approval for every tool call Claude wants to make.

If you're passing the mode via CLI or project config, both the old and new names are accepted — so existing configs won't break immediately — but update your scripts and docs:

# CLI — both accepted after v2.1.200
claude --permission-mode manual        # canonical; was --permission-mode default

// .claude.json or project settings
{
  "defaultMode": "manual"              // was: "defaultMode": "default"
}

The rename makes the label honest: "Manual" is what actually happens — every tool call needs a thumbs-up. "Default" implied a factory setting, which is confusing when you want to configure it explicitly.

2. AskUserQuestion no longer auto-continues

Previously, when Claude paused to ask a clarifying question, it would eventually auto-continue if you didn't respond. In v2.1.200, it stops and waits indefinitely until you respond.

If you need auto-continue — for example, in unattended CI runs where Claude might occasionally ask a clarifying question — set an explicit idle timeout:

# In an active session:
/config
# Set idleTimeout: 60    (seconds; 0 = wait forever, the new default)

Or directly in your project config:

{
  "idleTimeout": 60
}

Why the change matters. The old auto-continue behavior was a hidden footgun: Claude asks "Should I overwrite this file?" — nobody responds — Claude proceeds as if you said yes. Requiring explicit acknowledgment eliminates that class of silent unintended tool calls, especially in background and remote sessions. Set idleTimeout if you genuinely need the old behavior; leave it unset for the safer new default.

Other notable v2.1.200 fixes

• Background sessions silently stopping mid-turn after sleep/wake: fixed
• Background sessions re-running a turn you cancelled with Esc after a stall: fixed
• Subagents cut off by a rate limit before producing any text now return partial work instead of failing silently
• .claude.json crash on startup when disabledMcpServers or enabledMcpServers is set to a non-array value: fixed
• Screen reader output improved with hidden decorative glyphs and readable transcript symbols

Sources: Claude Code changelog — code.claude.com · Permission modes doc · @ClaudeCodeLog on X