How do I sync Claude.ai skills and plugins into a Claude Code terminal session?

On Claude Code 2.1.275+, skills and plugins enabled on your claude.ai account sync into terminal sessions signed in with that account. Opt out with syncClaudeAiSkills / syncClaudeAiPlugins set to false.

On Claude Code 2.1.275+, when you sign in with your claude.ai account, skills and plugins enabled on that account sync into the terminal by default. Opt out with "syncClaudeAiSkills": false and/or "syncClaudeAiPlugins": false. Skills land under ~/.claude/skills/synced/; plugins under ~/.claude/plugins/synced/ as <name>@synced. Not the same as a marketplace /plugin install. Checked 2026-09-19 against CHANGELOG 2.1.275 + settings/skills/plugins docs. [GAP] interactive CLI not re-tested here.

TL;DR. Signed-in terminal → account enables mirror in. Opt out with the two JSON keys set to false. Prefer ≥ 2.1.275 (named opt-outs); docs also describe terminal sync from 2.1.273+.

When this applies / when it does not

Use when skills/plugins enabled on claude.ai (or org-enabled) should appear in the CLI - or sync already happened and you need the named opt-outs.

Skip when

You only want a local marketplace install → add Anthropic’s skills marketplace
Session uses API-key / token-helper auth that docs exclude from sync
You need to prune cost of already-loaded skills → /skill-doctor

Broader map: Claude skills. Same-day 2.1.273-278 catch-up N and AGENTS.md Spec B are planned (planned) / planned (planned).

Prerequisites

claude --version ≥ 2.1.275 - CHANGELOG adds the named opt-outs. Skills/plugins docs: terminal sync from v2.1.273+. [GAP] CLI not on PATH here - version string not captured.
Sign in with claude.ai (/login). No sync on API-key / ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN / CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN / apiKeyHelper, Bedrock / feature-flag-disabled traffic, bare mode, or --safe-mode (skills docs).
Skills/plugins enabled on claude.ai (or org-required). Some Anthropic skills (pdf, xlsx) always sync per docs.

Confirm sync is working

Docs-only ([GAP] UI not reproduced live):

Start a terminal session under the claude.ai account.
Skills: /skills → group claude.ai sync; files in ~/.claude/skills/synced/ (background refresh ~every 10 minutes).
Plugins: claude plugin list → Synced from claude.ai; /plugin Installed source synced; IDs name@synced; files in ~/.claude/plugins/synced/.
Optional -p wait: CLAUDE_CODE_SYNC_SKILLS=1 (skills docs).
CHANGELOG 2.1.275: ListPlugins = account enables, not local /plugin installs. Write/Edit in the synced account-skills folder is not saved to the account.

Opt out with settings

User (~/.claude/settings.json), local (.claude/settings.local.json), managed, or --settings:

{
  "syncClaudeAiSkills": false,
  "syncClaudeAiPlugins": false
}

Opt-out only. Docs: true = unset; default when unset is sync for signed-in sessions.
Scope: user / local / managed. Shared project .claude/settings.json cannot turn sync off.
Precedence exception (configuration docs): false from managed, --settings, user, or local is honored even when managed sets true. A false in shared project .claude/settings.json is ignored.
After plugins opt-out: next start stops download; copies move to ~/.claude/plugins/.trash/. Skills opt-out (user/managed) → ~/.claude/skills/.trash/.
Org-required @synced plugins cannot be disabled locally. Turning Skills off on claude.ai can also stop plugin sync.

Per-plugin: claude plugin disable <name>@synced / enable (user enabledPlugins).

Sync vs marketplace vs skill-doctor

Path	Job
Account sync (`syncClaudeAi*`)	Mirror claude.ai enables
Marketplace `/plugin`	Local catalog install - marketplace
`/skill-doctor`	Prune unused skill cost - skill-doctor

Personal/project ~/.claude/skills or .claude/skills = on-disk skills, not account sync.

Pitfalls

Expecting sync on API-key / Bedrock / flag-disabled / bare / --safe-mode sessions
Editing skills/synced/ expecting claude.ai to update
Treating @synced like a marketplace slug (install / uninstall don’t apply)
Opt-out only in shared project settings (ignored)
CLI older than 2.1.275 without named opt-out keys
Context bloat after sync → /skill-doctor, not more installs

FAQ

What version do I need?
Opt-out keys: CHANGELOG 2.1.275+. Docs: terminal sync from 2.1.273+. Run claude --version.

How do I turn sync off?
"syncClaudeAiSkills": false and/or "syncClaudeAiPlugins": false in user, local, or managed settings - not shared project .claude/settings.json.

Same as adding Anthropic’s skills marketplace?
No. Marketplace = catalog install; sync = account enables. See marketplace guide.

Where do synced artifacts live?
Skills: ~/.claude/skills/synced/. Plugins: ~/.claude/plugins/synced/ as name@synced.

Synced skills bloated my context?
Run /skill-doctor; opt out or disable individual @synced plugins.

Sources (checked 2026-09-19)

CHANGELOG · 2.1.275 - sync + opt-out keys; Write/Edit synced-folder note; ListPlugins account vs local. Adjacent 2.1.273: org Skills-off → trash; sign-in requests plugin access
Settings reference - syncClaudeAiSkills / syncClaudeAiPlugins
Configuration - managed-settings exceptions - false wins; project false ignored
Skills - Where synced skills load - paths; CLAUDE_CODE_SYNC_SKILLS; exclusions; v2.1.273+
Plugins reference - Synced plugins
Local: claude --version → CLI not found ([GAP])