Claude Code Cleanup Tool

Update (2025-01-25): This issue appears to be fixed in Claude Code v2.1.19. Update with brew upgrade claude. Keep this tool just in case the issue resurfaces.

A temporary workaround for the Claude Code orphan process issue on macOS.

Problem

When closing terminal applications (iTerm2, PyCharm, etc.) without explicitly exiting Claude Code, processes become orphaned and continue running in the background, consuming significant memory.

• Related issue: anthropics/claude-code#17391

Symptoms

• Multiple claude processes visible in Activity Monitor
• High memory usage (can reach several GB)
• Processes persist even after closing all terminals

Usage

Option 1: Double-click (macOS)

1. Download claude_cleanup.command
2. Double-click to run
3. Follow the on-screen prompts

Option 2: Terminal

# Kill all Claude processes
pkill -9 claude

Prevention

Until the bug is fixed, properly exit Claude Code before closing the terminal:

• Type /exit in Claude Code
• Or press Ctrl+C then Ctrl+D
• Or press Ctrl+D twice

Note

This is a temporary workaround. Once issue #17391 is resolved, this tool will no longer be necessary.