Command reference Β· Claude Code
/model
Switches the AI model and saves it as the default for new sessions.
Switches the active AI model and saves the choice as the default for new sessions by storing the value in the user settings. Without an argument, an interactive model picker opens; entering /model <name> directly switches immediately, for example /model sonnet. Model family aliases like opus, sonnet, haiku, or fable each resolve to the newest version allowed by the organization.
In the picker, the left/right arrow keys additionally adjust the effort level for supported models, and pressing s on a row switches the model only for the current session, without changing the saved default. If the conversation already contains responses, the picker asks for confirmation before switching, because the next response reprocesses the full history without the prompt cache.
Resumed sessions (--resume, --continue) keep the model the history was last saved with, regardless of the current /model setting. Also usable non-interactively (-p) with a model argument instead of the picker since version 2.1.205; there, the switch applies only to the current session and is not saved as the default.
π THE SAME TASK (βSWITCH MODELβ) ON OTHER PLATFORMS
β WHEN TO USE IT?
Switch the default model for new sessions interactively
/model
Set a different model only for the current session
/model (then press 's')
Switch directly by name without opening the picker
Enter /model sonnet to switch immediately instead of navigating through the picker first.
β WHEN NOT TO?
Only more thinking effort is needed, not a different model
Switching the model with an existing history also triggers a confirmation prompt, because the full history is reprocessed without the cache - unnecessary for pure thinking effort.
Better: /effort
Multiple terminals open at the same time should permanently use different models
/model changes the saved default or applies to the running session; for parallel terminals with fixed, different models this is cumbersome.
Better: Start each terminal individually with the --model flag instead of switching between sessions with /model.
SOURCES
- Claude Code docs (official) β code.claude.com