[BUG]

[mirko-speranza]

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

After encountering an authentication token error in Claude Code for Windows, I was asked to re‑log in. Following this, all Claude Code sessions disappeared (Claude sessions remained intact). Attempts to restore sessions by deleting the Claude Code token in the config section partially worked, but the application continued to request re‑login. Upon re‑logging, sessions vanished again. After repeated attempts, I am now unable to log in at all, as the email verification step fails (no verification email is sent).

What Should Happen?

I should see the old sessions that are, in any case, persisted in my folders. And I should be able to log in, but I cannot.

Error Messages/Logs

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_011CW5QrfBcTHsFD5m4XNwzA"} · Please run /login

OAuth token revoked · Please run /login

Steps to Reproduce

Steps to Reproduce

• Use Claude Code for Windows as normal.
• Encounter an auth token error.
• Re‑log when prompted.
• Observe that Claude Code sessions are gone (Claude sessions remain).
• Delete the Claude Code token in the config section.
• Sessions reappear but are unusable (still asks to re‑log).
• Re‑log again.
• Sessions disappear once more.
• Repeat the above steps several times.
• Eventually, login becomes impossible because the email verification step fails (no email is sent).

Expected Behavior

• Sessions should remain intact after re‑logging.
• Email verification should reliably send a verification email.
• Deleting the token should not cause sessions to toggle between visible/unusable and missing.

Actual Behavior

• Sessions disappear after re‑logging.
• Deleting the token restores sessions, but they remain unusable.
• Re‑logging causes sessions to vanish again.
• Login is now blocked entirely due to failed email verification (no email received).

Environment

• App: Claude Code for Windows
• Platform: Windows 11
• Frequency: Consistently reproducible after auth token error
• Severity: Critical – prevents login and use of Claude Code sessions

Impact
I am currently stuck and unable to use Claude Code for Windows at all. Sessions are inaccessible, and the failed email verification step blocks login.

When I re‑log, I see the following (screenshot attached):

If I delete the auth token, I see this instead (screenshot attached):

So let’s be blunt: if the client’s local session data is actually bound to the auth token, that’s a catastrophic design flaw. It effectively nukes user sessions on re‑auth, makes them unusable when the token is removed, and leaves the user stuck in a loop of disappearing/restored-but-broken sessions. Now the login process itself is bricked because email verification doesn’t even send.
This isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a critical bug that wipes out usability. Binding client data to a volatile auth token is the kind of mistake that breaks trust in the product. Please fix this properly, because right now Claude Code for Windows is unusable.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

2.0.65 (Claude Code)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

No response

[github-actions]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. [BUG] OAuth token expiration disrupts autonomous workflows – refresh token handling needed #12447
2. OAuth token revoked · Please run /login #5210
3. [Bug][BLOCKER] Anthropic API Error: Invalid OAuth token authentication failure #12196

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

• If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
• To prevent auto-closure, add a comment or 👎 this comment

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[mirko-speranza]

When I re‑log, I see the following (screenshot attached):

If I delete the auth token, I see this instead (screenshot attached):

So let’s be blunt: if the client’s local session data is actually bound to the auth token, that’s a catastrophic design flaw. It effectively nukes user sessions on re‑auth, makes them unusable when the token is removed, and leaves the user stuck in a loop of disappearing/restored-but-broken sessions. Now the login process itself is bricked because email verification doesn’t even send.
This isn’t just an inconvenience — it’s a critical bug that wipes out usability. Binding client data to a volatile auth token is the kind of mistake that breaks trust in the product. Please fix this properly, because right now Claude Code for Windows is unusable.

This is not a duplicate nuisance, it’s a critical design flaw. If the client’s local session data is actually bound to the OAuth token, that’s catastrophic. It wipes sessions on re‑auth, makes them unusable when the token is removed, and now even blocks login entirely because email verification doesn’t send.
Binding client data to a volatile token is not a minor bug — it’s a BLOCKER that breaks trust in the product. Please stop auto‑closing this and fix the underlying issue.

The platform and the Os are completely different from the ones in the "Duplicates" suggested. I suggest you also review the duplicate detection generated with Claude Code!!

Severity: BLOCKER – Data Loss Risk

[github-actions]

This issue has been inactive for 30 days. If the issue is still occurring, please comment to let us know. Otherwise, this issue will be automatically closed in 30 days for housekeeping purposes.

[github-actions]

Closing for now — inactive for too long. Please open a new issue if this is still relevant.

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.