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How to switch model or account after a usage limit with /model, /login and /logout

Updated

No, switching models does not restore a shared pool. OpenAI: "Switching models does not restore allowance in a shared usage pool." Anthropic's docs say a subscription window is "shared across all models, so the developer can't restore access by switching models with /model"; only a model-family limit such as "You've hit your Opus limit" can be sidestepped by switching families. To change accounts, use /logout in Codex or /login in Claude Code.

What the official docs say

Steps

Both vendors meter subscription usage as one pool per account. OpenAI: "Depending on your account, you may be able to wait for the reset, use a saved reset, or continue with eligible credits." Claude Code offers the same shape of choice: wait for the reset (since v2.1.234 it can wait and continue the interrupted task automatically via /rate-limit-options) or enable pay-as-you-go with /usage-credits.

The exception is a model-family limit in Claude Code. The error reference lists "You've hit your Opus limit" and "You've hit your Sonnet limit"; those apply only to requests to that family, and "switching to a model outside that family with /model does keep the developer working." Each model has its own prompt cache, so the next request re-reads the whole conversation with no cache hits.

Changing accounts is a separate action from changing models. Codex CLI: "/logout — Sign out of Codex. Clear local credentials when using a shared machine." Claude Code: "run /login from within Claude Code to switch to your subscription plan", or log out fully and select the correct account. xAI's FAQ describes no account switching; it only says "When your weekly usage limit is met, paid features will pause until your weekly limit resets."

  1. Identify which limit you hit

    Codex: type /status and read which bar is empty. Claude Code: type /usage, or read the message itself. "You've hit your session limit" and "You've hit your weekly limit" are shared-pool limits; "You've hit your Opus limit" and "You've hit your Sonnet limit" are family limits.

  2. If it is a shared pool, do not bother switching models

    OpenAI: "Switching models does not restore allowance in a shared usage pool." Anthropic: the window is "shared across all models, so the developer can't restore access by switching models with /model". Your options are to wait, use a saved reset (Codex), or use credits.

  3. If it is a Claude Code family limit, use /model

    Switch to a model outside the Opus or Sonnet family and keep working. Expect the next request to re-read the whole conversation, because each model has its own prompt cache.

  4. Codex: change account with /logout

    "/logout — Sign out of Codex. Clear local credentials when using a shared machine." Then sign in again with the other account. The other account has its own 5-hour and weekly windows.

  5. Claude Code: change account with /login

    Anthropic: "run /login from within Claude Code to switch to your subscription plan". If the wrong account is active, log out fully and select the correct account when you sign back in.

  6. Or wait in place

    Claude Code v2.1.234 and later can wait and continue the interrupted task automatically after the reset; the waiting line reads "Usage limit reached · continuing automatically at 3:45pm · esc to cancel". Codex: "you may be able to wait for the reset".

  7. Check the board before you switch anything

    If an account-wide reset has just been announced, the board shows RESET NOW and every account is refilled. Your own window is separate from that, but a global reset makes switching unnecessary.

FAQ

Does a cheaper model make the pool last longer before I hit the limit?

Model choice affects how fast the pool drains, not whether switching refills it. OpenAI: "Model choice, context, reasoning, tool use, retrieval, and caching all affect usage". Claude Code's docs suggest "model: haiku" for simple subagent tasks. Once the pool is empty, switching does not restore it.

Which Claude Code limits can /model get around?

Only the Opus and Sonnet family limits. "The Opus and Sonnet limits each apply only to requests to that model family"; session and weekly limits are shared across all models.

What about Grok?

xAI's FAQ: "When your weekly usage limit is met, paid features will pause until your weekly limit resets. You will still have access to Grok's free tier limits." Extra Usage Credits are used after the included weekly usage is exhausted.

Will I lose my task if I wait?

In Claude Code v2.1.234+ the session waits and continues automatically; the docs show "Usage limit reached · continuing automatically at 3:45pm · esc to cancel" and "Usage limit reset · continuing automatically". Codex's options are wait, saved reset, or credits.

Sources

  1. Managing usage with GPT-6 Astra in Work and Codex (OpenAI Help Center, revision 2026-09-16)verified 2026-09-17
  2. Claude Code docs: Manage costs effectively (/usage, /model, /rate-limit-options)verified 2026-09-17
  3. Codex CLI developer commands: /status, /usage, /logout (learn.chatgpt.com)verified 2026-09-17
  4. Use Claude Code with your Pro or Max plan (Claude Help Center)verified 2026-09-17
  5. xAI docs: Grok website and apps FAQ (Settings → Usage, weekly pool)verified 2026-09-17
  6. Claude Code docs: Error reference (session, weekly, Opus and Sonnet limits)verified 2026-09-17
  7. Claude Code docs: Interactive mode (waiting for a usage limit to reset)verified 2026-09-17
  8. Codex pricing and usage limits (learn.chatgpt.com)verified 2026-09-17

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