Accept Edits mode skips the prompt for routine file edits and safe filesystem commands - the sweet spot between full control and unattended autonomy.

What it does

File writes and edits inside the project go through without asking. Common filesystem Bash commands like ls, mkdir, mv, and cp also skip prompts. Anything that could touch the network, install packages, or run tests still asks - the safety bar is "does it change code or move files around?"

When to use it

Normal development flow where you trust the prompt and plan.
Fast iteration on well-understood changes.
Teaching Claude a small set of patterns without constant approvals.
Pairing a human reviewer who watches diffs rather than prompts.

Gotchas

Edits still land on disk immediately. Commit often so git reset is a real rollback.
Protected paths are still guarded. Even this mode can't touch .git or .claude unprompted.
If a skill auto-invokes risky tools, accept-edits won't save you from prompts - by design.

Official docs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/permission-modes.md#auto-approve-file-edits-with-acceptedits-mode