Claude Code WebSearch budget now refills at 100 calls per hour
Claude Code v2.1.290 changes the interactive session's WebSearch budget from a fixed 200-call cap to a budget that refills at 100 calls per hour. An environment variable sets the refill rate, and setting it to 0 turns refilling off.
SessionWatcher editorial · Published · Updated · Source announcement: 2026-10-05
Related guide: How to check your Claude Code usage
WebSearch now has a refilling budget
Claude Code v2.1.290 changes the WebSearch budget for interactive sessions. Instead of ending after 200 calls, the budget now refills over time at 100 calls per hour.
This replaces the previous fixed call ceiling with an hourly refill rate. The release note describes an interactive-session tool budget, not a change to subscription message limits.
Sources: v2.1.290
The refill rate is configurable
CLAUDE_CODE_WEB_SEARCH_REFILLS_PER_HOUR sets the refill rate. Setting the variable to 0 turns refilling off.
The announcement does not specify the maximum accumulated WebSearch budget or distinguish refill rates by subscription plan.
Sources: v2.1.290
AI assisted reporting, checked against the linked official sources. Source pages checked 2026-10-06. Editorial process and corrections.