To reopen a previous Claude Code conversation, the current Claude Code docs say to run claude --continue to reopen the most recent session in the current directory, or claude --resume to open the session picker. From inside an active session, /resume switches to another session. [1]
Resume the last session or choose another
- Continue the latest session in this directory:
claude --continue(orclaude -c). [1][2] - Choose a session:
claude --resumeopens the session picker. The docs also listclaude --resume <name>for resuming a named session. [1] - Switch from an active session: type
/resume. [1]
The official docs confirm that --resume opens a picker, but the passages cited here don’t specify whether it searches message text or which conversation fields it searches. Don’t assume the picker is a full-transcript search. [1]
Find and read an older conversation in VS Code
If you don’t know the session name or ID, the Session Trail Marketplace listing describes this browsing workflow: install the extension, make sure Claude Code CLI is installed and has been used at least once, and use VS Code 1.85.0 or later. Open the browser with Cmd+Shift+H on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+H on Windows/Linux, or use Session Trail: Open Chat Browser in the Command Palette. Browse the sidebar and select a conversation to read it. [3]
The publisher says the free tier searches conversation titles and previews; its Pro “Deep Search” searches the full text of messages. These are extension-publisher claims, so check the current listing for feature availability. [3]
A separate third-party guide proposes a custom /history command that lists recent entries from ~/.claude/history.jsonl, including details such as date, project, topic snippet, and session ID. Its example is a recent-entry listing—not evidence of full-text search across complete transcripts—and the guide’s file path and setup aren’t confirmed by the official docs cited here. [4]
Claude chat search and API access are different questions
Anthropic’s Claude Help Center describes past-chat search for eligible paid plans on Claude web, Desktop, and Mobile. It does not establish that those instructions apply to Claude Code; treat the apps’ search settings and steps as separate. [5]
The sources cited here don’t establish a production API method for finding or resuming Claude Code sessions. That is an evidence gap, not proof that no such capability exists. Check current official Claude Code and API documentation before relying on an API for session history.
Sources
Manage sessions - Claude Code Docs
CLI reference - Claude Code Docs
Session Trail — Chat History for Claude Code - Visual Studio Marketplace
How to resume, search, and manage Claude Code conversations
Use Claude’s chat search and memory to build on previous context