Hit your Claude Code limit? The /low-priority command that keeps Claude working

You're deep in a task. Then Claude Code hits your 5-hour session limit and everything stops until it resets. On some accounts there's now a way to keep going: a slash command called /low-priority. It isn't in Anthropic's docs or changelog yet, so this guide is what I saw and what others have reported. I'll also show you the official option in the desktop app that picks up the moment your limit resets.

01What /low-priority is

When you hit your 5-hour session limit, the limit notice on some accounts offers a line like "/low-priority to continue now at lower priority". Type that command and Claude keeps working. Your requests run on Anthropic's spare capacity instead of at normal priority.

I checked the official Claude Code changelog and couldn't find it there. So treat everything here as reported behaviour, not a documented feature. It may change or disappear.

02Who can use it

It looks like a staged rollout. Reports say it shows up for some Pro and Max accounts, mostly Max so far. There's no setting to switch it on. If your account isn't in the rollout, the command isn't offered, or you get a message that lower-priority mode isn't available right now.

03How to use it, step by step

Work as normal until Claude Code hits your 5-hour session limit.
Read the limit notice. If it mentions /low-priority, your account has it.
Type the command below and press Enter.
Claude carries on. While it waits for capacity, you may see a status like "Working at lower priority · waiting for capacity".
To stop, run the same command again.

Turn lower-priority mode on (run again to turn it off)

/low-priority

04The catches

It only runs when Anthropic has spare capacity. Replies can pause, sometimes for a while.
It still counts toward your weekly limit. Some reports say there's also a separate weekly allowance for lower-priority use.
One user reported it used up a big chunk of their week in a couple of hours. Keep an eye on /usage while it runs.

Check how much of your limit is left

/usage

05The official option: auto-continue when your limit resets

If you'd rather wait than spend weekly usage, there's an announced, official option. In the Claude desktop app's Code tab, the session-limit card has an auto-continue checkbox. Tick it and Claude picks the task back up when your limit resets. Anthropic's ClaudeDevs account announced it on X.

Write-ups also describe a matching setting for the terminal in /config. I haven't confirmed that one in the docs, so open your own /config and see if it's there.

Look for a continue-at-usage-limit setting

/config

06My tip

07Good to know

/low-priority isn't documented. Its behaviour and messages may change without notice.
There's no setting to add your account to the rollout.
Lower-priority replies can stall. Don't rely on it for anything time-sensitive.
Desktop auto-continue waits for the reset instead, so it doesn't spend extra usage early.