Claude Code Update: Check Your Version and Upgrade Safely

Updating Claude Code means checking the version you have, using the same install method to get the latest release, and then confirming that your settings still apply before resuming real work. An update can silently change default behaviors or shift how permissions are handled, so a brief check after upgrading prevents a broken session later.

If you are in the middle of a task, save its state first. Tools like fenbs keep the task plan, decisions, and Where we left off outside the session, so the work is waiting for you after the upgrade.

How do you check the installed version?

Run this command in your terminal to see which version is currently active:

claude --version

Compare the output with the latest release. Anthropic publishes release notes in their Claude Code documentation↗ (opens in a new tab). If the version you have is several releases behind, plan an upgrade before your next substantial task.

How do you update Claude Code?

Claude Code is published as an npm package. If you installed it globally with npm, update it the same way:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest

If you installed Claude Code through a different method, use that method to update. Mixing install paths can leave two versions on the same machine and cause the wrong one to run. Check which binary your shell resolves before and after with which claude, and confirm the version number matches once the install finishes.

Claude Code requires a minimum Node.js version that can change between major releases. Run node --version before upgrading and check Anthropic's current requirements in their setup guide. Upgrading Node first avoids a failed install partway through.

What should you check after updating?

Three things are worth confirming before you start real work on an updated version.

• Your CLAUDE.md files are still read. Open your project folder and ask Claude Code a small question that depends on a rule in CLAUDE.md. The answer should reflect that rule. If it does not, verify the file is in the expected location.
• Your MCP connections are still working. If you use an MCP server to connect external tools, run a quick test call to confirm the connection responds. An update that changes how Claude Code handles auth may require you to re-approve the connection.
• Your permission settings are as you left them. Claude Code stores settings about which file operations and shell commands it may run without asking. Review them after any update that touches permission handling.

A quick check for each of these takes only a few minutes at the start of a session. Discovering a broken configuration mid-task is more disruptive: you interrupt real work to investigate something the upgrade changed. Confirming the three items before the first substantial task makes the investment worthwhile. Treat the check as part of the upgrade, not as an optional step afterward.

Common problems during and after an update

A few issues come up regularly when upgrading a globally installed CLI tool.

• Terminal still shows the old version. Close and reopen your terminal so the shell refreshes its PATH lookup. Then run claude --version again.
• Permission error during install. On macOS or Linux, a system-owned npm global directory may reject the write. The recommended fix is to configure npm to use a user-owned prefix; check the npm documentation for the steps.
• Node.js version below the new minimum. Check Anthropic's current requirements and update Node before retrying the Claude Code install if your version is too old.
• CLAUDE.md no longer applied after the update. Confirm the file is at the project root. Claude Code walks up from the current directory to find CLAUDE.md files; the location must be correct for each project.

If an update changes a behavior you relied on, the release notes identify which version introduced the change and why. Recording what you found in CLAUDE.md or a fenbs context note prevents the next session from having to investigate the same discrepancy again.

How to do this with fenbs

1. Create a free account and add the project you are working on.
2. Before upgrading, ask the current Claude Code session to save task progress and record Where we left off in fenbs. This preserves current decisions and the next planned step.
3. Run the update. Open a fresh terminal and confirm the correct version is active with claude --version.
4. Reconnect Claude Code to fenbs from Integrations. Test the connection with a quick read call before resuming the task.
5. Ask the new session to read the project context, including its rules and Where we left off, before making any changes.

fenbs does not manage the Claude Code binary or track version numbers. It keeps the work, rules, and handoff record available to any version of Claude Code. For install steps, the how to install Claude Code guide and Claude Code docs overview cover the setup in more detail.

For context about how Claude Code stores and resumes sessions, the Claude Code history guide explains session files and the resume command. The Claude Code checkpoints guide covers saving restore points before a larger change.