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If claude --continue does not reopen the conversation you need, first return to the project directory where you used it. That flag loads the most recent conversation in the current directory, not a session-wide search. To target a particular conversation, run claude --resume <session-id>; if you do not know its ID, try claude --resume and look for it in the interactive chooser. Anthropic documents these options, but does not guarantee that every session is available to resume.
Why --continue may not find the session
Anthropic defines --continue (or -c) as loading the most recent conversation in the current directory. If you launch Claude Code from a different project directory, it may not select the conversation you expect. The flag also selects the latest conversation rather than letting you identify an older one by name. See the Claude Code CLI reference.
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Try these recovery options in order
-
Return to the original project directory
In your terminal, change to the repository or project directory associated with the conversation, then run
claude --continue. This is the first check because the command is scoped to the current directory.Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Resume using the session ID
If you have the session ID in notes, logs, shell history, or an SDK capture, run
claude --resume <session-id>. The short form isclaude -r <session-id>. The CLI reference also supports passing a follow-up prompt after the ID.For SDK workflows, Anthropic shows how to request JSON output, extract its
session_idwithjq, and pass that ID to a laterclaude -p --resumecommand. This only helps if the ID was actually captured; see the Claude Code SDK documentation. -
Open the interactive session chooser
When you do not know the ID, run
claude --resumewithout an argument. The CLI reference describes choosing a session in interactive mode. Select the intended conversation if it appears; the documentation does not promise that every historical session will be listed.
Check the CLI and capture useful diagnostics
- Run
claude --versionto record the installed version. - Run
claude doctorto check the installation type and version, as described in Anthropic’s setup guide. - Reproduce the problem with
--verboseto see detailed turn-by-turn output. Keep the exact error and session ID, if available. - If you suspect version-related behavior, Anthropic documents
claude updateas the manual update command. An update is a diagnostic step, not a documented way to repair missing session data.
What to expect if resume still fails
Anthropic’s data-usage documentation says local Claude Code clients may store sessions locally for up to 30 days so users can resume them. That is a stated retention window, not a guarantee that a particular session remains present or can be recovered. See the Claude Code data-usage documentation.
The official sources cited here do not establish a version-independent transcript location or a supported method for manually moving, renaming, or editing session files. Do not rely on an unverified file path or alter session data based on one. Preserve the session ID and error output, then consult current Anthropic support or the help available in your installed CLI for version-specific guidance.
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