/model

Switches the AI model and saves it as the default for new sessions.

Left/right arrow keys also adjust effort on supported models. Key 's' switches only for the current session. With existing history, a confirmation prompt appears (full history is reprocessed without the cache). From v2.1.205 also non-interactive (-p) with a model argument.

✅ WHEN TO USE IT?

Interactively switch the default model for new sessions

/model

Set a different model for just the current session

/model (then press 's')

⛔ WHEN NOT TO?

Just need more thinking, not a different model

effort vs model: switching models with existing history also triggers a confirmation prompt, because the full history is reprocessed without cache - unnecessary for pure thinking depth.

Better: /effort

SOURCES

Claude Code Doku (offiziell) ↗ code.claude.com