Run two Claude Code accounts simultaneously on macOS without re-authenticating by using separate configuration directories.
-
Create Separate Config Directories
mkdir ~/.claude-account1 mkdir ~/.claude-account2
-
Add Aliases to Shell Config
- Open
~/.zshrc(or~/.bashrcfor Bash) in an editor:nano ~/.zshrc - Add:
alias claude-account1="CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=~/.claude-account1 claude" alias claude-account2="CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR=~/.claude-account2 claude"
- Save and reload:
source ~/.zshrc
- Open
-
Authenticate Each Account
- For account 1:
Log in; credentials save to
claude-account1
~/.claude-account1. - For account 2:
Log in; credentials save to
claude-account2
~/.claude-account2.
- For account 1:
-
Switch or Run Simultaneously
- Run
claude-account1orclaude-account2in separate terminal tabs (Cmd + T). - Each uses its own config and usage limits.
- Run
- Requires separate Anthropic accounts (different emails).
- Check Anthropic’s terms to ensure compliance.
- Update Claude Code:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. - If re-authentication occurs, verify
CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIRwithecho $CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR.
Hey
With Opus 4.7 dropping and tokens burning through subscriptions faster than ever, I built a small tool to solve a problem many of us have — multiple Claude subscriptions sitting in separate directories, each with their own isolated settings.
The problem: You have 2-3 Claude accounts (personal, work, client) but each one lives in its own ~/.claude-* directory. Skills, agents, memory, project configs — all duplicated. Add a useful skill to one, the others don't see it.
The fix: https://github.com/Digital-Threads/aimux — think of it as tmux but for Claude subscriptions. One shared brain, multiple billing accounts.
How it works:
Setup takes about 30 seconds:
npm install -g @digital-threads/aimux
aimux init # auto-detects your existing Claude directories
aimux status # see what you've got
aimux run # pick a profile and go
Works on macOS and Linux. Tested with 3 subscriptions running side by side — same skills, same memory, different billing.
If you're juggling multiple Claude accounts and tired of things being out of sync, give it a shot. Happy to help set it