[BUG] Auto-update failed error persists after manual update

[WeeboWIZ]

Description

The CLI continuously displays "✗ Auto-update failed · Try claude doctor or npm i -g
@anthropic-ai/claude-code" at the bottom of the terminal, even after successfully updating to the latest
version.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install/update Claude Code: npm i -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest
2. Clear npm cache: npm cache clean --force
3. Reinstall: npm i -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest
4. Run claude doctor
5. The auto-update error message still appears at the bottom of the CLI

Expected Behavior

After successfully updating to the latest version, the auto-update error message should disappear.

Actual Behavior

The error message "✗ Auto-update failed" persists in the CLI interface despite successful manual update.

Environment

• Claude Code Version: 1.0.69
• Installation Method: npm-global
• Node Path: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
• CLI Path: C:\Users\madma\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules@anthropic-ai\claude-code\cli.js
• Auto-updates enabled: true
• Update permissions: Yes
• OS: Windows (PowerShell)

Additional Context

• claude doctor shows all diagnostics as normal
• Manual update completes successfully with "changed 2 packages"
• The error appears to be a UI/display issue rather than an actual update failure

Logs

npm i -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest
changed 2 packages in 11s

claude --version
1.0.69 (Claude Code)

claude doctor
Diagnostics
└ Currently running: npm-global (1.0.69)
└ Path: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
└ Auto-updates enabled: true
└ Update permissions: Yes

[WeeboWIZ]

/ Model │
│ Switch between Claude models. Applies to this session and future Claude Code sessions. For custom model │
│ names, specify with --model. │
│ │
│ ❯ 1. Default (recommended) Opus 4 for up to 50% of usage limits, then use Sonnet 4✔ │
│ 2. Opus Opus 4 for complex tasks · Reaches usage limits faster │
│ 3. Sonnet Sonnet 4 for daily use

still no Opus 4.1 for select

[github-actions]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. [BUG] ✗ Auto-update failed · Try claude doctor or npm i -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code #996
2. [BUG] Auto-Update stuck in Doom Loop #2259
3. Authentication UI Warning Persists After Successful Login #1222

If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead.

_{This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days if there are no additional comments. To prevent auto-closure, please 👎 this comment.}

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[lukemmtt]

I had the same problem; the solution shared here worked for me: ruvnet/ruflo#202

Specifically, uninstalling the npm-installed claude:

npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

and reinstalling with

curl -fsSL http://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

[silenceboychen]

It can be updated using the following command:

$ claude update

[nitsujri]

Probably related #1550

[wyb10a10]

I fix this bug by : sudo rm -fr /data/home/yongbaowang/.nvm/versions/node/v21.7.3/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/.claude-code-dQbT2ys8

bash-5.2$ npm i -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
npm ERR! code ENOTEMPTY
npm ERR! syscall rename
npm ERR! path /data/home/yongbaowang/.nvm/versions/node/v21.7.3/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code
npm ERR! dest /data/home/yongbaowang/.nvm/versions/node/v21.7.3/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/.claude-code-dQbT2ys8
npm ERR! errno -39
npm ERR! ENOTEMPTY: directory not empty, rename '/data/home/yongbaowang/.nvm/versions/node/v21.7.3/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/claude-code' -> '/data/home/yongbaowang/.nvm/versions/node/v21.7.3/lib/node_modules/@anthropic-ai/.claude-code-dQbT2ys8'

npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in: /data/home/yongbaowang/.npm/_logs/2025-08-25T11_11_28_292Z-debug-0.log