Claude Code /workflows: Watch, Stop, and Save Large Automated Tasks

Handing a big task to the AI all at once is convenient, but there are times you wonder "how far is it now?" or "I want to stop this." Losing control is unsettling. Claude Code (an AI coding tool used in the terminal) lets you watch and tweak a big task in progress on one screen. That's /workflows.

Definition (What It Is)

/workflows is a command that opens the progress screen of a large task (workflow) in progress to view, stop, and save it.

• Workflow: a big task that bundles multiple steps and runs them automatically all at once. For example, "modifying many files at once" is one workflow.
• /workflows shows that task's progress at a glance and lets you stop it midway or save the current state if needed.

How to Use It (By Difficulty)

Basic — View Progress

/workflows

Running it opens the progress screen of the currently running workflow. You can check how far it has progressed and perform actions like stopping or saving here.

Common Pitfalls (When Applicable)

• If you stop a task midway, only the results up to the point of stopping are reflected. It may end in a partially processed state, so it's safest to check on the progress screen how far it got before stopping.
• A large workflow uses a lot of resources once run, so it's good to define the scope well before starting. Build the habit of starting it, watching with /workflows, and stopping quickly if something looks off.

Real-World Example

There was a time you queued a large file modification with /batch (a command that runs many tasks automatically at once). Watching the progress in /workflows, you saw some files being processed differently from intended and stopped just that part. You kept control without ruining the whole thing.

Taking It Further

If you've started a long automated task like /batch, make it a habit to keep /workflows open alongside and monitor it. Watch the progress and stop immediately if you see warning signs, and leave it be if it's running fine — this enables "delegate but watch" operation.

Summary

/workflows is a control-tower-like command for viewing, stopping, and saving a large task in progress. Even a long automated task isn't something you hand off and forget — you can watch and intervene at any time, keeping control.

Based on: Claude Code v2.1.154 (2026.05)