Qwen Code CLI reference - Environment variables

Qwen Code environment variables

Qwen Code documents 56 environment variables, including QWEN_HOME, QWEN_RUNTIME_DIR and QWEN_USAGE_STATISTICS_ENABLED. Qwen Code reads these from your shell environment. Each row gives the docs' description, accepted values and an example where one is documented.

Last verified October 17, 20269 official pages Full Qwen Code reference

Qwen Code environment variables
Variable	Description	Example
`QWEN_HOME`	Customizes the global configuration directory (default: `~/.qwen`). Docs: QWEN_HOME	-no example
`QWEN_RUNTIME_DIR`	Overrides the runtime output directory (conversations, logs, todos); defaults to QWEN_HOME. Docs: QWEN_RUNTIME_DIR	-no example
`QWEN_USAGE_STATISTICS_ENABLED`	Set to `true` or `1` to enable usage statistics; any other value disables them. Overrides the `privacy.usageStatisticsEnabled` setting. Docs: QWEN_USAGE_STATISTICS_ENABLED	-no example
`QWEN_TELEMETRY_ENABLED`	Set to `true` or `1` to enable telemetry; any other value disables it. Overrides the `telemetry.enabled` setting. Docs: QWEN_TELEMETRY_ENABLED	-no example
`QWEN_TELEMETRY_OTLP_ENDPOINT`	Sets the OTLP endpoint for telemetry. Overrides the `telemetry.otlpEndpoint` setting. Docs: QWEN_TELEMETRY_OTLP_ENDPOINT	-no example
`QWEN_TELEMETRY_OUTFILE`	Sets the file path to write telemetry to. When set, overrides OTLP export. Overrides the `telemetry.outfile` setting. Docs: QWEN_TELEMETRY_OUTFILE	-no example
`QWEN_SANDBOX`	Alternative to the `sandbox` setting in settings.json; overrides the CLI flag and settings. Accepts `true`, `false`, `docker`, `podman`, or a custom command string Docs: QWEN_SANDBOX	-no example
`QWEN_SANDBOX_IMAGE`	Overrides sandbox image selection for Docker/Podman. Takes precedence over `tools.sandboxImage` Docs: QWEN_SANDBOX_IMAGE	-no example
`SEATBELT_PROFILE`	(macOS specific) Switches the Seatbelt (`sandbox-exec`) profile on macOS. default permissive-open Docs: SEATBELT_PROFILE	-no example
`DEBUG`	Set to `true` or `1` to enable verbose debug logging; excluded from project .env files by default. Docs: DEBUG	-no example
`DEBUG_MODE`	Set to `true` or `1` to enable verbose debug logging; excluded from project .env files by default. Docs: DEBUG_MODE	-no example
`NO_COLOR`	Set to any value to disable all color output in the CLI. Docs: NO_COLOR	-no example
`FORCE_HYPERLINK`	Override the OSC 8 clickable-link detection in the markdown renderer. 1 to force-enable; 0 to disable Docs: FORCE_HYPERLINK	-no example
`QWEN_DISABLE_HYPERLINKS`	Set to `1` to hard-disable OSC 8 clickable hyperlinks in the markdown renderer. 1 Docs: QWEN_DISABLE_HYPERLINKS	-no example
`CLI_TITLE`	Set to a string to customize the title of the CLI. Docs: CLI_TITLE	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_MAX_OUTPUT_TOKENS`	Overrides the default maximum output tokens per response; disables automatic escalation. Docs: QWEN_CODE_MAX_OUTPUT_TOKENS	`export QWEN_CODE_MAX_OUTPUT_TOKENS=16000`
`QWEN_CODE_UNATTENDED_RETRY`	Set to `true` or `1` to retry transient 429/529 capacity errors indefinitely with backoff. Docs: QWEN_CODE_UNATTENDED_RETRY	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_PROFILE_STARTUP`	Set to `1` to write a JSON startup timing report to ~/.qwen/startup-perf/. Docs: QWEN_CODE_PROFILE_STARTUP	`export QWEN_CODE_PROFILE_STARTUP=1`
`QWEN_CODE_LEGACY_MCP_BLOCKING`	Set to `1` to wait synchronously for every MCP server's discover handshake at startup. Docs: QWEN_CODE_LEGACY_MCP_BLOCKING	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_MODELS_DEV`	Set to `off` to ignore the bundled models.dev model catalog. off Docs: QWEN_CODE_MODELS_DEV	`export QWEN_CODE_MODELS_DEV=off`
`QWEN_CODE_MODELS_DEV_REFRESH`	Set to `off` to stop the daily models.dev download into ~/.qwen/model-registry.json. off Docs: QWEN_CODE_MODELS_DEV_REFRESH	-no example
`OPENAI_API_KEY`	API key for the OpenAI-compatible protocol; the default envKey for `openai` entries. Docs: OPENAI_API_KEY	-no example
`OPENAI_BASE_URL`	Base URL for the OpenAI-compatible protocol. Docs: OPENAI_BASE_URL	-no example
`OPENAI_MODEL`	Model ID for the OpenAI-compatible protocol (alias: QWEN_MODEL). Docs: OPENAI_MODEL	-no example
`QWEN_MODEL`	Alias of OPENAI_MODEL for the OpenAI-compatible protocol. Docs: QWEN_MODEL	-no example
`ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`	API key for the Anthropic protocol (`modelProviders` key `anthropic`). Docs: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY	-no example
`ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL`	Base URL for the Anthropic protocol. Docs: ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL	-no example
`ANTHROPIC_MODEL`	Model ID for the Anthropic protocol. Docs: ANTHROPIC_MODEL	-no example
`GEMINI_API_KEY`	API key for the Google GenAI protocol (`modelProviders` key `gemini`). Docs: GEMINI_API_KEY	-no example
`GEMINI_MODEL`	Model ID for the Google GenAI protocol. Docs: GEMINI_MODEL	-no example
`GOOGLE_API_KEY`	API key for Vertex AI; used with GOOGLE_MODEL and sets GOOGLE_GENAI_USE_VERTEXAI=true. Docs: GOOGLE_API_KEY	-no example
`GOOGLE_MODEL`	Model ID for Vertex AI entries. Docs: GOOGLE_MODEL	-no example
`GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT`	Google Cloud project for keyless Vertex AI access via Application Default Credentials. Docs: GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT	-no example
`DASHSCOPE_API_KEY`	Alibaba Cloud DashScope API key, commonly used as the envKey of Qwen model provider entries. Docs: DASHSCOPE_API_KEY	-no example
`QWENCLOUD_API_KEY`	API key for QwenCloud used in headless or scripted setup. Docs: QWENCLOUD_API_KEY	`export QWENCLOUD_API_KEY="sk-your-api-key"`
`BAILIAN_CODING_PLAN_API_KEY`	API key for the Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan in headless or scripted setup. Docs: BAILIAN_CODING_PLAN_API_KEY	`export BAILIAN_CODING_PLAN_API_KEY="sk-sp-xxxxxxxxx"`
`OPENROUTER_API_KEY`	OpenRouter API key; used with OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://openrouter.ai/api/v1. Docs: OPENROUTER_API_KEY	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_SYSTEM_SETTINGS_PATH`	Overrides the path of the system settings file (highest-precedence settings file). Docs: QWEN_CODE_SYSTEM_SETTINGS_PATH	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_SYSTEM_DEFAULTS_PATH`	Overrides the path of the system defaults settings file (lowest-precedence settings file). Docs: QWEN_CODE_SYSTEM_DEFAULTS_PATH	-no example
`QWEN_UPDATE_BASE_URL`	Custom HTTPS release root for standalone updates (qwen update, /update, automatic updates). HTTPS URL without credentials, query string or fragment Docs: QWEN_UPDATE_BASE_URL	`export QWEN_UPDATE_BASE_URL="https://downloads.example.com/qwen-code"`
`QWEN_DISABLED_SLASH_COMMANDS`	Denylist of slash commands; unioned with slashCommands.disabled and --disabled-slash-commands. Comma-separated command names Docs: QWEN_DISABLED_SLASH_COMMANDS	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_ENABLE_WORKFLOWS`	Set to `1` to force the Workflow tool on (overrides tools.workflowsEnabled). 1 Docs: QWEN_CODE_ENABLE_WORKFLOWS	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_ENABLE_AGENT_TEAM`	Set to `1` to enable agent-team collaboration tools (same as experimental.agentTeam). 1 Docs: QWEN_CODE_ENABLE_AGENT_TEAM	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_DISABLE_CRON`	Set to `1` to disable the in-session cron/loop tools (experimental.cron). 1 Docs: QWEN_CODE_DISABLE_CRON	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_API_TIMEOUT_MS`	Sets the per-request API timeout in milliseconds; `0` disables the request timeout. default 120000 Docs: QWEN_CODE_API_TIMEOUT_MS	-no example
`QWEN_STREAM_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS`	Global idle timeout between streamed chunks; `0` disables the idle guard. default 240000 Docs: QWEN_STREAM_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MS	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_SAFE_MODE`	Equivalent of --safe-mode: disables all customizations to isolate problems. true Docs: QWEN_CODE_SAFE_MODE	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_SIMPLE`	Equivalent of --bare; among other effects it turns off all hooks. Docs: QWEN_CODE_SIMPLE	-no example
`QWEN_CODE_SUPPRESS_YOLO_WARNING`	Set to `1` to suppress the stderr warning when --yolo runs headless without a sandbox. 1 Docs: QWEN_CODE_SUPPRESS_YOLO_WARNING	-no example
`QWEN_PROJECT_DIR`	Set to the project directory in the environment of every command hook. Docs: QWEN_PROJECT_DIR	`"$QWEN_PROJECT_DIR/.qwen/hooks/security-check.sh"`
`QWEN_CODE_LANG`	Highest-priority source for UI language auto-detection. Docs: QWEN_CODE_LANG	-no example
`QWEN_TLS_INSECURE`	Set to `1` to skip TLS certificate verification (same as --insecure). 1 Docs: QWEN_TLS_INSECURE	-no example
`SANDBOX_FLAGS`	Injects custom flags into the docker or podman command for container-based sandboxing. Space-separated flags Docs: SANDBOX_FLAGS	`export SANDBOX_FLAGS="--security-opt label=disable"`
`SANDBOX_SET_UID_GID`	On Linux, forces (true) or disables (false) UID/GID mapping so the sandbox runs as your user. true or false Docs: SANDBOX_SET_UID_GID	`export SANDBOX_SET_UID_GID=true`
`QWEN_SERVER_TOKEN`	Bearer token for qwen serve when --token is not passed. Docs: QWEN_SERVER_TOKEN	`QWEN_SERVER_TOKEN=secret qwen serve`
`QWEN_CODE_MERMAID_IMAGE_RENDERING`	Controls Mermaid image rendering in the terminal markdown renderer. Documented value: 1 Docs: QWEN_CODE_MERMAID_IMAGE_RENDERING	`QWEN_CODE_MERMAID_IMAGE_RENDERING=1`

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FAQ

How many environment variables does Qwen Code have?

The official Qwen Code docs list 56 environment variables, including QWEN_HOME, QWEN_RUNTIME_DIR and QWEN_USAGE_STATISTICS_ENABLED. All of them are in the table above, in the docs' order.

What does QWEN_HOME do in Qwen Code?

Customizes the global configuration directory (default: ~/.qwen).

Where are Qwen Code environment variables documented?

On 9 official docs pages at qwenlm.github.io, last read on October 17, 2026. Every row in the table links the exact section it came from.

Sources

Last verified October 17, 2026. Names and examples are copied verbatim from the 9 official pages below, and every row above links the exact section it came from.

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FAQ

How many environment variables does Qwen Code have?

What does QWEN_HOME do in Qwen Code?

Where are Qwen Code environment variables documented?

Sources

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