# How to Set the Default Detail Mode in Claude Video Watch Configuration > Easily set the default detail mode in Claude Video watch configuration by adding WATCH_DETAIL to your .env file. Choose from transcript, efficient, balanced, or token-burner modes. - Repository: [bradautomates/claude-video](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-07-27 --- **To set the default detail mode in Claude Video, add `WATCH_DETAIL=` to `~/.config/watch/.env` where `` is one of `transcript`, `efficient`, `balanced`, or `token-burner`.** The `bradautomates/claude-video` repository provides a watch skill that analyzes video content using different frame sampling strategies controlled by the **detail mode**. Configuring the default behavior through the user-level configuration file ensures consistent frame selection across all video processing sessions without requiring command-line flags. ## Understanding the Configuration Precedence Claude Video resolves the active detail mode through a strict hierarchy defined in [`skills/watch/scripts/config.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py). The system checks three sources in descending order of priority: 1. **Environment variable** `WATCH_DETAIL` set in your shell session 2. **Configuration file** key `WATCH_DETAIL` located at `~/.config/watch/.env` 3. **Built-in fallback** defined as `DEFAULT_DETAIL = "balanced"` ([lines 12-14](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py#L12-L14)) If the environment variable is unset, the system falls back to the config file value. If neither source provides a valid option, the system defaults to `balanced` mode. ## Locating the Configuration File The configuration helper reads user settings from `~/.config/watch/.env` ([lines 9-11](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py#L9-L11)). This file uses standard KEY=VALUE syntax, with each non-comment line parsed by the loading loop starting at [line 27](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py#L27). Create the directory and file if they do not exist: ```bash mkdir -p ~/.config/watch touch ~/.config/watch/.env ``` ## Setting the Default Detail Mode To persistently change the default detail mode for all Claude Video invocations, edit `~/.config/watch/.env` and specify your preferred mode. ```text # ~/.config/watch/.env # Valid options: transcript, efficient, balanced, token-burner WATCH_DETAIL=efficient ``` The `get_config()` function ([lines 51-55](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py#L51-L55)) merges this value into the runtime configuration. Valid modes include: - **`transcript`**: Audio-only analysis with no frame extraction - **`efficient`**: Minimal frame sampling for faster processing - **`balanced`**: Moderate frame sampling (default fallback) - **`token-burner`**: Maximum frame extraction for detailed visual analysis ## Validating the Configuration If you supply an invalid value for `WATCH_DETAIL`, the system enforces the hard-coded default `balanced` ([line 57](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py#L57)). Verify your active configuration using Python: ```python from skills.watch.scripts import config print(config.get_config()["detail"]) # Output: "efficient" (or your configured value) ``` This imports the same configuration module used by [`skills/watch/scripts/watch.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/watch.py), ensuring you see exactly what the watch command will use. ## Temporarily Overriding the Default Even with a default set in `~/.config/watch/.env`, you can override the detail mode for individual commands using environment variables. This takes precedence over the config file without modifying your persistent settings. ```bash # Override config file default for a single run WATCH_DETAIL=token-burner claude-video /watch "https://youtu.be/example" ``` The watch entry point consumes this setting via `config.get_config()`, allowing seamless switching between modes without editing files. ## Summary - **Primary method**: Set `WATCH_DETAIL=` in `~/.config/watch/.env` to change the default detail mode persistently - **Valid modes**: Choose from `transcript`, `efficient`, `balanced`, or `token-burner` as defined in [`skills/watch/scripts/config.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py) - **Precedence**: Environment variables override the config file, which overrides the built-in `balanced` default - **Validation**: Invalid values automatically fall back to `balanced` mode - **Location**: Configuration logic resides in [`skills/watch/scripts/config.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py) with the `get_config()` function merging all sources ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What are the valid detail modes in Claude Video? The four accepted values for `WATCH_DETAIL` are `transcript`, `efficient`, `balanced`, and `token-burner`. These are validated against the allowed options at [lines 14-15](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py#L14-L15) of [`config.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/config.py). Each mode controls how many frames are extracted and analyzed from the input video, ranging from audio-only (`transcript`) to maximum visual detail (`token-burner`). ### What happens if I set an invalid WATCH_DETAIL value? If the configuration file or environment variable contains an unrecognized mode, the system falls back to the `balanced` setting. This validation occurs in [`skills/watch/scripts/config.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py) at [line 57](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py#L57), ensuring that typos or incorrect values never break the video processing pipeline. ### Can I use both the config file and environment variables together? Yes. Claude Video uses a cascading configuration system where the environment variable `WATCH_DETAIL` takes highest precedence, followed by the `~/.config/watch/.env` file entry, and finally the hard-coded default. You can maintain a baseline setting in the config file while using environment variables to override it temporarily for specific videos or workflows. ### Where is the default detail mode defined in the source code? The fallback default is defined as `DEFAULT_DETAIL = "balanced"` in [`skills/watch/scripts/config.py`](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py) at [lines 12-14](https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video/blob/main/skills/watch/scripts/config.py#L12-L14). This constant is used by the `get_config()` function when neither the environment variable nor the config file provides a valid detail mode setting.