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Press ESC twice in Claude Code CLI to access checkpoint restore options that let you revert to previous code states. Choose from four options: restore code and conversation, restore conversation only, restore code only, or cancel. Similar to Cursor's checkpoint feature but built into Claude Code.
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Claude Code CLI has a powerful but lesser-known checkpoint restore feature that lets you revert to previous code and conversation states—similar to Cursor's checkpoint functionality—without relying on git.
Update — June 25, 2026 (v2.1.191): If you ran /clear and lost context, /rewind can now resume from before the clear — complementary to ESC × 2 checkpoints. See Claude Code 2.1.191 changelog.
The feature is activated by pressing ESC twice in rapid succession, which opens a menu with four restoration options:
This is particularly useful during experimentation, debugging, or when trying multiple approaches to a problem. You can quickly revert changes without the overhead of git commits or stash operations.
This article explains how to use the restore feature, when to use each option, how it compares to Cursor's checkpoints, and best practices for checkpoint-driven development.
The restore feature is accessed with a simple keyboard shortcut:
# You're in an active Claude Code session
$ claude
# You've made several code changes and had a conversation
> Can you add error handling to the API?
[Claude makes changes to server.ts, adds try-catch blocks]
> Actually, let me try a different approach
# Press ESC ESC (twice rapidly)
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Restore checkpoint │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Restore code and conversation │
│ 2. Restore conversation │
│ 3. Restore code │
│ 4. Nevermind │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Each restore option serves a different use case during development:
Use case: You want to completely undo both the code changes and the conversation history.
Before restore:
- server.ts modified with try-catch blocks
- 5 messages in conversation about error handling
After "Restore code and conversation":
- server.ts reverted to checkpoint state
- Conversation reverted to checkpoint state
- Fresh slate for new approach
When to use:
Use case: Keep your code changes but reset the conversation context.
Before restore:
- server.ts modified with try-catch blocks (KEEP)
- 5 messages in conversation about error handling (REVERT)
After "Restore conversation":
- server.ts still has try-catch blocks
- Conversation history cleared
- Useful for explaining code to someone else with fresh context
When to use:
Use case: Revert code changes but preserve the conversation history.
Before restore:
- server.ts modified with try-catch blocks (REVERT)
- 5 messages in conversation about error handling (KEEP)
After "Restore code":
- server.ts reverted to checkpoint state
- Conversation history preserved
- Useful for referencing what didn't work
When to use:
Use case: Cancel the restore operation.
# You pressed ESC ESC by accident
# Select "Nevermind" to continue without restoring anything
Both Claude Code and Cursor offer checkpoint functionality, but with different approaches:
| Feature | Claude Code | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | Press ESC twice | Dedicated checkpoint UI |
| Granularity | Code, conversation, or both | Code checkpoints |
| Session scope | Current session | Project-based |
| Git integration | Independent | Can integrate with git |
| Conversation restore | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Visual timeline | ❌ No (menu-based) | ✅ Yes |
Key advantage of Claude Code: The ability to restore conversation state separately from code is unique and valuable for maintaining context during experiments.
Key advantage of Cursor: Visual checkpoint timeline makes it easier to see what changed at each checkpoint.
Use Claude Code restore when:
✅ Experimenting with quick iterations ✅ Trying multiple approaches in a single session ✅ You want to preserve conversation context ✅ No need for permanent version control ✅ Working on throwaway code or spikes
Use git when:
✅ You need permanent version control ✅ Collaborating with others ✅ You want detailed commit messages and history ✅ Changes need to be shared across machines ✅ You're working on production code
Best practice: Use both—Claude Code restore for rapid iteration, git for checkpoints you want to keep.
$ claude
> Design a REST API for user authentication
# Checkpoint 1 (automatically created)
[Claude designs JWT-based auth]
> Actually, let's try session-based auth instead
[Claude implements session-based approach]
# Not happy with it
ESC ESC → "Restore code and conversation"
# Back to Checkpoint 1
> What about OAuth2 with refresh tokens?
[Claude implements OAuth2]
# This works! Commit to git
$ git add . && git commit -m "Add OAuth2 authentication"
$ claude
> The login endpoint returns 500 errors
# Deep conversation about potential causes
# Claude suggests checking database connection, environment variables, etc.
> Try fixing the database connection timeout
[Claude modifies db.ts with new timeout settings]
# Didn't work, but the conversation analysis is valuable
ESC ESC → "Restore code"
# Code reverted, conversation preserved
> Based on your analysis above, let's try the environment variable approach
[Claude fixes .env configuration]
# This works!
$ claude
> Refactor the authentication module
[Long conversation with multiple tangents and clarifications]
# Code is good, but conversation is messy
ESC ESC → "Restore conversation"
# Code preserved, conversation reset
> I've refactored the auth module to use dependency injection
# Fresh conversation context for the next developer
Claude Code creates automatic checkpoints at key moments (exact timing is implementation-dependent). Understanding when checkpoints are created helps you restore to the right state.
# Experiment with Claude Code restore
ESC ESC → try approach A
ESC ESC → try approach B
ESC ESC → try approach C
# When you find the winner, commit to git
$ git add . && git commit -m "Implement approach B for auth"
If a conversation contains valuable analysis or context, use "Restore code" instead of "Restore code and conversation" to keep the discussion.
If you're using /goal for long-running tasks (see Claude Code /goal command guide), you can use restore to revert if the autonomous agent goes off track.
> /goal All tests passing, coverage > 90%
[Claude works for 30 minutes across multiple turns]
[Results are not what you expected]
ESC ESC → "Restore code and conversation"
# Back to before /goal was invoked
| Action | Shortcut | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Open restore menu | ESC ESC (twice rapidly) | Shows 4 restore options |
| Navigate menu | Arrow keys or 1/2/3/4 | Highlight option |
| Confirm selection | Enter | Execute restore |
| Cancel | Select "Nevermind" or ESC | Close menu without restoring |
Claude Code's checkpoint restore feature (activated by pressing ESC twice) provides Cursor-style checkpoint functionality with the added benefit of separate conversation and code restoration.
The four options—restore code and conversation, restore conversation, restore code, or nevermind—give you fine-grained control over what to revert during development.
Use it for rapid experimentation during active sessions, and commit valuable changes to git for permanent version control. The combination of Claude Code checkpoints for iteration and git for persistence creates a powerful workflow for AI-assisted development.
Next time you're experimenting with Claude Code, try ESC ESC to explore different approaches without fear of losing progress.
Claude Code documentation: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code. explainx.ai is not affiliated with Anthropic.