Resolving the issue where Claude Code on desktop cannot resume chat sessions

TLDR

• When the OAuth token expires, Claude Code encounters a 401 error, and the /login command fails.
• This is a known bug in the Claude Desktop Preview version, affecting both Windows and macOS users.
• The temporary workaround is to re-run the installer (Setup.exe), which restores functionality without losing your chat session.
• It is recommended to keep an eye on the official GitHub Issues for a formal fix.

Symptoms and Conditions

When does this issue occur: When the OAuth authentication state of Claude Desktop expires due to inactivity, the system triggers an authentication error.

When the user attempts to execute a command, they receive the following API error message:

API Error: 401 {"type":"error","error":{"type":"authentication_error","message":"OAuth token has expired. Please obtain a new token or refresh your existing token."},"request_id":"req_011CWWoXen3mpmsjy27LGmqn"} · Please run /login

At this point, if you follow the error prompt and execute the /login command, the following abnormal behavior occurs:

• There is no visual feedback when the command is first entered.
• After a delay, the system reports Unknown slash command: login.

This issue prevents the current chat session from continuing. It has been confirmed as a known bug in Claude Desktop (Windows/macOS). For related discussions, please refer to:

• GitHub Issue #13928: Claude Code for Windows unusable due to OAuth loop
• GitHub Issue #15007: /login Does Not Recover Active Session

Temporary Workaround

When to use this solution: When the aforementioned OAuth expiration issue occurs and the /login command does not work as expected.

WARNING

The following is an unofficial temporary workaround. It is recommended to keep an eye on official updates and wait for a formal fix.

Before the official fix for the authentication reconnection mechanism is released, you can restore operations by following these steps:

1. Manually close the Claude Desktop window (it is recommended to close it manually to avoid interference from residual processes).
2. Re-run Claude Setup.exe.

After performing the steps above, your chat session will immediately resume, and there is no need to log in again or create a new chat session. This method is only intended as a stopgap measure until an official fix is released.

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Changelog

• 2025-12-27 Initial version created.