How to Edit Prompts in External Editor in Claude Code

Press Ctrl+G in Claude Code to open your prompt in your system's configured text editor. This feature (introduced in v2.0.10) makes composing long, complex prompts dramatically easier with full editor capabilities.

How It Works

Press Ctrl+G while typing your prompt in Claude Code.
Your default editor opens with current prompt content.
Edit with full editor features (syntax highlighting, multi-cursor, templates).
Save and close the editor.
Prompt automatically returns to Claude Code, ready to send.

Power up with parallel agents (ad)

Run multiple autonomous coding agents simultaneously with Verdent Deck's isolated Git worktrees. Each agent tackles different components while maintaining full context awareness, eliminating manual debugging bottlenecks and accelerating feature delivery. Discover Verdent AI (Free Trial)

When to Use External Editor

Long prompts - Multi-paragraph requirements, detailed specifications, complex instructions.
Formatted content - Code snippets, markdown formatting, structured documentation.
Reusable templates - Maintain prompt templates with syntax highlighting and version control.
Code-heavy prompts - Large code examples that benefit from editor validation.

Template Workflow

Create a prompt templates directory with common patterns (feature requests, code reviews, refactoring). Press Ctrl+G, load template, fill in specifics, send to Claude. This combines AI power with editor expertise.

Editor Integration Excellence

External editor integration bridges terminal efficiency with GUI editor power. Compose complex prompts with full IDE capabilities then seamlessly send to Claude Code.

Power up with parallel agents (ad)

How It Works
When to Use External Editor

How It Works​

When to Use External Editor​

How It Works

When to Use External Editor