What is the --resume Flag in Claude Code

The --resume flag loads specific Claude Code conversations by session ID, providing precise control over which session to restore regardless of current directory or when it was created.

How to Use It

Use --resume with a session ID to load a specific conversation, or use it without an ID to interactively select from available sessions.

claude --resume abc123def456
claude --resume
claude --resume session_id --model opus

Why Use --resume

The --resume flag provides precise session control when you need to access specific conversations rather than just the most recent one. It enables cross-directory session access and session archaeology for finding older valuable conversations.

Benefits:

• Precise Control: Load exact sessions by ID, not just most recent
• Cross-Directory Access: Access any session from any directory
• Session Archaeology: Find and load older conversations with valuable context
• Interactive Selection: Browse available sessions when you don't know the ID
• Team Collaboration: Share specific session IDs for collaborative work

Precise Session Access

--resume enables exact session targeting across directories and time periods. Perfect for accessing specific debugging contexts or feature discussions.

See Also: --continue Flag|Session Management|Context Management|Changelog