Claude Code Model Effort Shortcuts

A Claude Code plugin that changes the reasoning effort level and the model from the keyboard.

| Action | macOS | Other keyboards | |---|---|---| | Effort up: low, medium, high, xhigh, then back to low | Cmd+E or Option+E | Alt+E | | Effort down, wrapping from low to xhigh | Cmd+Shift+E or Option+Shift+E | Alt+Shift+E | | Next model: Haiku 4.5, Sonnet 5.5, Opus 5.5, Fable 5.1, then back to Haiku 4.5 | Cmd+P or Option+P | Alt+P | | Previous model | Option+Shift+P | Alt+Shift+P |

• The footer shows the model and level that the next request uses, for example Sonnet 5.5 · effort: high.
• Each key press adds a dim line to the transcript, for example Set to Sonnet 5.5 · effort: high. The model does not read it.
• The plugin saves your last model and your effort pick for each model. New sessions start with them.

Requirements

• Claude Code 2.1.287 or later. Hook modules are on by default. You do not need to turn them on.
• This plugin uses an early-access plugin API. The API can change between releases.
• claude plugin validate . passes on Claude Code 2.1.287.

Install

1. Add the marketplace and install the plugin in Claude Code:

   /plugin marketplace add richkuo/claude-code-model-effort-shortcuts
   /plugin install model-effort-shortcuts@richkuo

2. Bind the keys in ~/.claude/keybindings.json:

   {
     "bindings": [
       {
         "context": "Global",
         "bindings": {
           "meta+e": "strip:jump9",
           "meta+shift+e": "strip:jump8",
           "meta+p": "strip:jump7",
           "meta+shift+p": "strip:jump6"
         }
       },
       {
         "context": "Chat",
         "bindings": {
           "meta+p": null
         }
       }
     ]
   }

   You can bind any key to the plugin's actions: strip:jump9 (effort up), strip:jump8 (effort down), strip:jump7 (next model), and strip:jump6 (previous model).

   Option+P opens the model picker by default. The Chat entry removes that default so that Option+P goes to the plugin. Use /model to open the model picker.

3. Set up your terminal (next section), then restart Claude Code.

Terminal setup

In Claude Code, meta is the Option key on macOS and the Alt key on other keyboards. Every shortcut must reach Claude Code as a Meta key.

• Option keys. The terminal must send Option as Meta. If it does not, the keys type characters, for example π for Option+P.
• Cmd keys. Terminals keep Cmd shortcuts for themselves. To use Cmd+E, Cmd+Shift+E, and Cmd+P, map each one in the terminal to send Esc followed by e, E, or p.

Ghostty (tested). Ghostty sends Option keys as Meta with no setup. For the Cmd keys, add these lines to the Ghostty config, then reload it:

keybind = super+e=esc:e
keybind = super+shift+e=esc:E
keybind = super+p=esc:p

Other terminals (not tested). Set Option to send Meta:

• Terminal.app: Settings, Profiles, Keyboard, turn on "Use Option as Meta key".
• iTerm2: Settings, Profiles, Keys, set "Left Option key" to "Esc+".

To use the Cmd keys too, map them in the terminal as the Ghostty lines do.

Settings

Run /config to change these settings:

• Effort shortcut: lowest level and Effort shortcut: highest level. The effort shortcuts cycle only through the levels between them. The default range is low to xhigh. Set the highest level to max to include max.
• Model shortcut: include Haiku 4.5, Sonnet 5.5, Opus 5.5, and Fable 5.1. The model shortcuts cycle only through the models that are on. All four are on by default.

How it works

• Before each main-thread request, the plugin replaces the request's model with your model pick, and the request's effort with your effort pick for that model.
• If Claude Code's own level for a model changes during the session, the plugin removes your effort pick for that model and follows Claude Code. This includes /effort <level> and the model picker.
• If Claude Code's own model changes during the session, the plugin removes your model pick and follows Claude Code. This includes /model <name> and the model picker.
• When the model shortcut reaches Claude Code's own model, the plugin removes the model pick.
• Each terminal keeps its own picks.

Limits

• Claude Code's own displays show its own model and level. This includes the effort line near the prompt, the spinner, status line scripts, and the CLAUDE_EFFORT variable. Use the plugin's footer text to see the model and level that requests use.
• Subagents keep Claude Code's own model and level.
• Haiku 4.5 has no effort setting in Claude Code. When Haiku 4.5 is selected, the footer shows no level and the effort shortcuts do nothing.
• A model switch starts a new prompt cache, so the next request costs more.
• Models have different context windows. If the conversation is larger than the new model's window, the request fails. Switch back, or run /compact.
• In the agents view, the keys do the agents view's own jump actions.

Development

claude plugin validate .
claude --plugin-dir .

To load a local copy in every session, set CLAUDE_CODE_PLUGIN_DIRS to the folder in the env block of ~/.claude/settings.json.

License

MIT