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Claude usage limit reached? What to do next

Hit your Claude session or weekly limit in Claude Code? See which limit stopped you, when it resets, and whether to wait, use usage credits, or switch tools.

By UsageAtlas on

Quick answer

Read the message first. "You've hit your session limit" means the five-hour window ran out, "You've hit your weekly limit" means the weekly one did, and an Opus or Sonnet limit means one model did. Then wait for the reset, turn on usage credits, or switch tools until it resets.

Which limit stopped you

  • "You've hit your session limit." The five-hour window is used up. It resets within five hours.
  • "You've hit your weekly limit." The weekly window is used up. It resets at your account's fixed weekly time.
  • "You've hit your Opus limit" or "Sonnet limit." One model ran out. Switching models with /model helps here, and only here.
  • "Credit balance is too low" or "monthly spend limit." You are on API billing, or your usage credits ran out.

A 529 "Overloaded" error is not a usage limit. It means Anthropic's servers are busy, and it does not count against your quota. See Anthropic's error reference for the full list.

Your options

  • Wait.Recent versions of Claude Code pause at the limit, show "Usage limit reached · limit resets 3:45pm," and carry on by themselves after the reset.
  • Let it wrap up. If the five-hour limit hits mid-response, Claude Code may finish the current step first. Pro gets this once a week, Max each time, and it is still rolling out.
  • Pay to continue. Run /rate-limit-options to see your choices, including usage credits at API rates.
  • Switch tools. Move the rest of the task to Codex or another agent until the window resets.

See it coming next time

UsageAtlas shows both windows in the tray or menu bar and sends one alert when a window drops to the level you choose. You get time to finish a task instead of losing it mid-step.

Questions, answered

Does switching models help when I hit the Claude limit?

Only for an Opus or Sonnet limit. Session and weekly limits cover all models, so /model does not help there.

Does claude.ai use count against my Claude Code limit?

Yes. Claude Code, claude.ai, and Claude Desktop all draw from the same limits.

Is an Overloaded error a usage limit?

No. A 529 Overloaded error means Anthropic's servers are busy. It does not use your quota, so try again shortly.

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