Spinner Tips Precision

Replace default spinner tips with custom messages displayed while Claude is processing.

When to Use This Setting

Apply this setting when you need to:

• Display organization-specific tips, guidelines, or resource links during Claude Code processing time
• Remove default tips and replace them with targeted messages relevant to your team's workflow
• Create a focused information channel that reaches developers during natural wait periods Consider alternatives when:
• You want to keep the built-in tips alongside your custom messages by using excludeDefault: false
• Your team finds spinner tips distracting and would prefer to disable them entirely

Quick Start

Configuration

Copy
name: spinner-tips-precision
type: setting
category: global

Example Application

Copy
claude setting:apply spinner-tips-precision

Example Output

Setting applied. Changes:
- spinnerTipsOverride.excludeDefault: true
- spinnerTipsOverride.tips: 1 custom tip configured

Core Concepts

Spinner Tips System Overview

Aspect	Details
Default Tips	Built-in helpful tips about Claude Code features and shortcuts
Custom Tips	User-defined messages that replace or supplement the defaults
Exclude Default	When true, only custom tips are shown; when false, both sets are mixed
Display Timing	Tips appear in the spinner area while Claude processes requests

Tips Display Architecture

+---------------------------+
|  Claude Processing        |
+---------------------------+
         |
         v
+---------------------------+
|  Tips Engine              |
+---------------------------+
|  excludeDefault: true     |
|                           |
|  Custom Tips Pool:        |
|  +---------------------+ |
|  | "Visit aitmpl.com   | |
|  |  to browse and      | |
|  |  install components" | |
|  +---------------------+ |
|                           |
|  Default Tips Pool:       |
|  +---------------------+ |
|  | (excluded)          | |
|  +---------------------+ |
+---------------------------+
         |
         v
   Randomly selected
   custom tip displayed

Configuration

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
spinnerTipsOverride.excludeDefault	boolean	true	When true, only custom tips are shown during processing
spinnerTipsOverride.tips	array	[]	Array of custom tip strings to display during spinner animation
spinnerTipsOverride.tips[0]	string	N/A	First custom tip message, can include URLs and feature descriptions
description	string	N/A	Human-readable explanation of the spinner tips configuration
spinnerTipsOverride	object	N/A	Top-level container for spinner tips override configuration

Best Practices

1. Curate tips for your team's context - Generic tips have limited value. Write tips that reference your specific tools, internal documentation URLs, and coding standards. Developers are more likely to read and act on relevant information.
2. Maintain five to ten tips for variety - A single tip becomes invisible through repetition. Maintain a pool large enough that developers encounter different messages across sessions, keeping the content fresh and engaging.
3. Include actionable URLs - Tips that include a link to documentation, a tool, or a resource page give developers something concrete to explore during wait times. Passive tips without actions are quickly ignored.
4. Use excludeDefault strategically - Set excludeDefault to false initially so developers still see useful Claude Code tips. Switch to true only after your custom tips pool is comprehensive enough to replace the built-in content.
5. Coordinate tips with onboarding - New team members benefit most from tips about internal tools and workflows. Consider maintaining a separate tips set for onboarding that gradually transitions to the standard set.

Common Issues

1. No tips appearing during processing - If excludeDefault is true and the tips array is empty, no tips will display. Ensure at least one custom tip is defined before enabling exclusive mode.
2. Tips too long to display fully - Spinner tip display area has limited width. Keep each tip under 100 characters for reliable rendering across different terminal sizes.
3. Stale tips reducing engagement - Tips that reference outdated tools, deprecated URLs, or completed initiatives make the entire tips system feel unmaintained. Schedule quarterly reviews of your tips content.