Claude Code

Run Every Claude Helper Agent on Haiku

The two settings lines that put every subagent, teammate and workflow agent on one cheaper model, how to check it worked, and what it costs you

Alex ChenAlex Chen@nocodealex · 45,000+ follow on Instagram
2min read
1prompts to copy
7numbered steps
4sections

When Claude starts a helper agent (a subagent) for a job like searching a folder, that helper runs on your session's model unless something else picks one. If your session runs your priciest model, so do all its helpers. Two lines in your settings file put every helper on Haiku.

Step 1: add the two lines

  1. Update Claude Code, run claude --version, and make sure it says 2.1.257 or higher.
  2. Open ~/.claude/settings.json.
  3. Add both variables to the env block: CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL set to haiku, and CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL_FORCE set to 1.
  4. Start a new Claude Code session so it reads the settings.

The two lines, inside "env":"CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL": "haiku", and "CLAUDE_CODE_SUBAGENT_MODEL_FORCE": "1".

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