Command reference Β· Claude Code
/resume
Resumes a conversation by ID or name, or opens the session picker.
The command /resume [session] reopens another, independent conversation β by ID, by a previously assigned name, or without an argument via the interactive session picker showing a list of earlier conversations. Since version 2.1.144, background sessions also appear there, marked with bg. If such a background session is still running, it can't be opened directly via /resume; it first has to be attached via claude agents or stopped there before it becomes selectable in this picker. Alias: /continue.
So /resume switches between finished or paused conversations, not within the running one: to jump back to an earlier point within the same session, /rewind is responsible, which resets code and conversation to a checkpoint. /clear [name] can name the current conversation before restarting so it's easier to find later in the /resume picker; /rename [name] conversely renames the running session and, without an argument, automatically generates a name from the conversation so far.
π THE SAME TASK (βRESUME SESSIONβ) ON OTHER PLATFORMS
β WHEN TO USE IT?
Switch between several open conversations
Call /resume without an argument to pick the right earlier session in the picker.
Reopen a named, already finished background session
/resume my-background-agent, to continue a session previously started with /background that's no longer running.
β WHEN NOT TO?
Jump back to an earlier point within the current conversation
/resume switches to another, independent conversation - it doesn't jump back within the running session.
Better: Use /rewind.
Continue a background session that's still running
A session marked bg in the picker that's still running can't be opened via /resume.
Better: Attach via claude agents, or stop the session there first.
SOURCES
- Claude Code docs (official) β code.claude.com