Entering Plan Mode with Shift+Tab

You do not need a special command to plan. You switch into plan mode the same way you switch any permission mode: by cycling them with Shift+Tab.

Cycling with Shift+Tab

Inside a session, press Shift+Tab to move to the next permission mode. Keep pressing to cycle through them until you land on plan mode. Claude Code shows the current mode on screen, so you always know which one is active before you type your next message.

This makes it easy to switch on the fly. You might explore a tricky area in plan mode, approve the plan, then let Claude carry it out.

Starting in plan mode from the CLI

If you know up front that a task needs planning, start there. Pass the permission mode when you launch:

claude --permission-mode plan

This drops you straight into a read-only session. Claude can read and search, but it will not change files until you approve a plan. It is a clean way to open an unfamiliar repository without worrying about stray edits.

Confirm the mode before you type

The habit worth building is a quick glance at the mode indicator. Permission mode decides what Claude is allowed to do with your next instruction. Before you send a message that could trigger edits, check that you are in the mode you meant to be in.

The four modes you cycle through are default, acceptEdits, plan, and bypassPermissions. Plan mode is the safest of the four because it changes nothing. Later articles cover the others and when each one earns its place.