Claude Code Not Working? Here's How to Fix It (2026)

Claude Code stops responding for a handful of predictable reasons: you've hit a usage limit, your session has expired, there's a network or proxy issue, or Claude's servers are under load. Most cases are fixable in under two minutes. This guide walks through each cause in order of likelihood.

Why is Claude Code not working?

The most common reason Claude Code stops working is hitting the 5-hour rolling usage limit or the weekly token cap on Pro and Max plans. Authentication timeouts, outdated CLI versions, and firewall restrictions are the next most frequent culprits. Rarely, the issue is on Anthropic's infrastructure side.

Below is a quick diagnostic table to identify your issue before diving into fixes.

Symptom	Most Likely Cause	Fix
Responses stop mid-session	Usage limit reached	Wait for 5-hour window to reset or upgrade plan
"Authentication required" or login loop	Session expired	Run claude logout then claude login
CLI hangs on startup	Outdated version or Node.js mismatch	Run npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Works on WiFi, fails on corporate network	Firewall or proxy blocking WSS/HTTPS	Configure HTTP_PROXY env var
Slow or no response, no error	API degradation or high load	Check status.anthropic.com
Errors on large codebases	Context window exhausted	Use /compact or start a new session

Is Claude Code down because of usage limits?

Claude Code enforces a 5-hour rolling usage window on both Pro ($20/month) and Max ($100/month) plans. Once you exhaust that window, Claude Code returns limit errors until the window rolls forward. There is also a weekly aggregate cap. As of August 2026, Pro plan users get significantly less capacity than Max plan users within each window, per Anthropic's official usage documentation.

The quickest way to diagnose this is to run the /usage slash command inside an active Claude Code session. It shows your current consumption within the active 5-hour window. You can also check claude.ai/settings/usage in a browser.

If you want real-time visibility without switching contexts, Usagebar sits in your macOS menu bar and tracks your 5-hour window, weekly cap, and context usage continuously. It sends notifications at 50%, 75%, and 90% so you're not blindsided. It's a $9 one-time purchase.

Related: what to do when Claude Code rate limit is exceeded and when Claude Code usage resets.

How do I fix Claude Code authentication errors?

Authentication errors typically appear as "Login required", a redirect loop, or a silent failure at startup. The fix is to fully log out and re-authenticate:

1. Run claude logout in your terminal.
2. Run claude login and complete the browser OAuth flow.
3. If the browser doesn't open, copy the URL from the terminal output manually.
4. If you're using an API key instead of OAuth, verify the key at console.anthropic.com and re-export: export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_key.

On some Linux systems, the keychain daemon (gnome-keyring or kwallet) must be running for Claude Code to store credentials between sessions. If you see repeated auth prompts, check that your keyring service is active.

How do I update Claude Code to fix bugs?

An outdated CLI is a frequent source of silent failures, especially after Anthropic pushes API changes. Claude Code updates frequently. Run the following to get the latest version:

npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Then verify with claude --version. If you installed via a different method (Homebrew, yarn, etc.), use the equivalent update command for that package manager. Claude Code requires Node.js 18 or higher. Check with node --version and upgrade if needed.

Why does Claude Code fail on a corporate or VPN network?

Claude Code communicates over HTTPS and WebSockets. Corporate proxies or VPNs that perform SSL inspection or block WebSocket upgrades will cause Claude Code to hang or silently fail. To route traffic through your proxy:

• Set export HTTP_PROXY=http://your-proxy:port
• Set export HTTPS_PROXY=http://your-proxy:port
• If your proxy uses a custom CA certificate, set export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS=/path/to/cert.pem

If you're on a strict enterprise network, ask your network team to allowlist api.anthropic.com and statsig.anthropic.com.

What happens when Claude Code hits the context window limit?

As a session grows, Claude Code loads more files and conversation history into the context window. When that fills up, responses degrade or stop. You'll usually see a warning in the terminal. Use the /compact slash command to summarize the session history and free up context, or start a fresh session with /clear. For large codebases, use CLAUDE.md to pre-load only the most relevant context instead of letting Claude index everything.

See also: how to check your Claude Code usage limits.

How do I check if Claude Code is down for everyone?

If none of the above fixes work, the issue may be on Anthropic's side. Check status.anthropic.com for real-time incident reports. Anthropic also posts outage updates on their official blog. The Claude Code community on Reddit (r/ClaudeAI) is a fast way to confirm if others are seeing the same issue.

Quick-fix checklist for Claude Code not working

1. Run /usage inside Claude Code to check your limit consumption.
2. Check claude.ai/settings/usage to confirm your 5-hour window status.
3. Run claude logout then claude login to refresh your session.
4. Update the CLI: npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code.
5. Verify Node.js version is 18+: node --version.
6. Check proxy/firewall settings if on a corporate network.
7. Run /compact if the session is long-running and responses are degrading.
8. Check status.anthropic.com for active incidents.

How can I avoid Claude Code hitting limits unexpectedly?

Usage limits are the most disruptive "not working" scenario because there's no visible warning until you're blocked. Usagebar solves this for macOS users: it shows your real-time 5-hour window usage, weekly token cap, and context consumption directly in the menu bar. Notifications fire at 50%, 75%, and 90% capacity so you can plan around the reset. One-time $9 purchase, no subscription.

Related reading: does Claude Code usage affect your Claude Pro limits and Claude Pro usage limits and reset time.