# Claude Code compacts idle sessions to cut resume usage

> Original title: Coming back to an old session got lighter on your usage.

- Source: ClaudeDevs
- Published: 2026-11-03T17:30:04.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/agx1rf1c8h94nj3ily3se87e5
- Original: https://x.com/ClaudeDevs/status/2117670659715375344

## Summary

Anthropic says Claude Code now compacts long idle sessions just before the roughly one-hour prompt cache expires, so resuming reprocesses only the summary instead of the full conversation. On Pro and Max plans, resuming a very long conversation that would use a large share of the 5-hour limit now shows a warning first.

## Post

Coming back to an old session got lighter on your usage.

Claude Code now compacts long idle sessions right before the prompt cache expires (~1h). If you come back to one later, it only has to reprocess the summary instead of the entire conversation.

And on Pro and Max, resuming a really long conversation now gives you a heads-up first if picking it back up would use a big chunk of your 5-hour limit.