Claude Desktop Download and Install Guide: Mac, Windows, Linux (2026)

To download the Claude desktop app, go to claude.com/download, choose macOS, Windows, Windows (arm64), or Linux, run the installer, and sign in with Google or your email. The app is free on every Claude plan and needs macOS 11 Big Sur or later, Windows 10 or later, or Ubuntu 22.04 or Debian 12 for the Linux beta (Anthropic Help Center, 2026). Chat works on the Free plan; Claude Code and Claude Cowork need a paid plan, and computer use is a beta for Pro and Max on Mac and Windows.

By Adi Leviim, Co-Founder at Infi Developments. 7+ years building AI productivity tools. Last reviewed September 2026 against Anthropic's download page and Help Center.

Claude Desktop Download: Versions and System Requirements

Anthropic publishes the Claude desktop app for macOS, Windows (x64 and arm64), and Linux (beta) on its official download page, claude.com/download. The old address claude.ai/download now redirects to that page. You do not need a paid plan to download or use the app; Anthropic's download page states the apps are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise, with some features limited to paid plans.

What you can do in the app depends on your plan. According to Anthropic's Install Claude Desktop article, Chat is available on every plan, while Claude Code and Claude Cowork require Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise. Claude's pricing page lists Pro at $20 per month billed monthly, or $17 per month with an annual subscription ($200 billed up front).

The desktop app and claude.ai share one account: Anthropic says your conversations, projects, memory, and preferences sync across desktop, web, and mobile when you are signed in, while local Cowork sessions stay on the device.

How to Install Claude Desktop on Mac

On a Mac, installing Claude Desktop takes four steps: download, drag to Applications, open, and sign in. Anthropic ships a single universal app, so the same download works on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 11 Big Sur or later.

1. Open claude.com/download in any browser and click Download for macOS.
2. Open the downloaded disk image and drag the Claude icon onto the Applications folder.
3. Launch Claude from Applications, Launchpad, or Spotlight. If macOS asks whether you want to open an app downloaded from the internet, click Open.
4. Sign in with the same Google account or email you use on claude.ai.

Where you put the app matters for updates. Claude Desktop updates itself when new versions are released. Anthropic notes that an app in the system /Applications folder needs administrator access to update, while an app in your user ~/Applications folder can update without admin rights, which helps on shared or managed Macs. IT teams can deploy a universal .pkg through Jamf, Kandji, or Intune instead.

How to Install Claude Desktop on Windows (x64 and Arm)

On Windows 10 or later, download the installer that matches your PC, run it, approve the Windows admin prompt, and launch Claude from the Start menu. The download page offers two Windows builds: Download for Windows for standard x64 PCs and Windows (arm64) for PCs with Arm processors.

1. Go to claude.com/download and choose Download for Windows or Windows (arm64).
2. Open the downloaded installer. Anthropic says full feature support, including Cowork, requires administrator privileges, so approve the User Account Control prompt.
3. Launch Claude from the Start menu and sign in.
4. To use Cowork, make sure Windows' Virtual Machine Platform feature is on, then restart.

Two Windows details catch people out. First, you can install without admin rights, but Anthropic states Cowork on desktop will not be available. Second, Cowork depends on the Virtual Machine Platform; Anthropic's Windows deployment guide gives this PowerShell command to enable it, followed by a restart:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName VirtualMachinePlatform -All

By default, Claude Desktop for Windows checks for updates about every four hours and applies them automatically. Organizations can deploy the x64 or arm64 MSIX package through Intune, SCCM, Group Policy, or PowerShell.

How to Install Claude Desktop on Linux (Beta)

Claude Desktop for Linux is in beta for Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later and Debian 12 or later, on x64 or arm64, and Anthropic recommends installing it from its apt repository so updates arrive with your normal system updates. Run these commands in a terminal, as published in Anthropic's install guide:

sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/claude-desktop-archive-keyring.asc https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/key.asc echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/claude-desktop-archive-keyring.asc] https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/apt/stable stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/claude-desktop.list sudo apt update && sudo apt install claude-desktop

Then launch Claude from your applications menu, or run claude-desktop in a terminal, and sign in. The Linux app does not update itself; updates come through sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade. A standalone .deb download exists, but it does not add the repository, so you would miss updates.

The beta has limits. Computer use and dictation are not available on Linux yet, and the Quick Entry global hotkey works on X11, while on native Wayland it depends on your desktop's GlobalShortcuts portal. Cowork on Linux needs hardware virtualization (KVM) with your user in the kvm group, QEMU packages (installed automatically with apt), about 25 GB of free disk space, and at least 8 GB of RAM.

How to Sign In to Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop offers the same two sign-in options as claude.ai: Continue with Google, or Continue with email. Claude accounts do not have passwords. If you choose email, Anthropic sends a message titled "Secure link to log in to Claude.ai." Click the link on the same computer to sign in directly; if you open it on another device, such as your phone, it shows a verification code to type into the desktop app instead.

To see your existing chats, sign in with the same Google account or email address you use on claude.ai; Anthropic's advice for using one account on several devices is to enter the same email everywhere. If the login email does not arrive, check spam and quarantine folders for mail from Anthropic's mail.anthropic.com domain, then try again after a few minutes.

Find any Claude conversation by what was said inside it. The desktop app and claude.ai share your history, and in a Chromium browser AI Toolbox (formerly Claude Toolbox) adds full-text search, folders, message bookmarks, and export to claude.ai. Free plan: 5 search results per query and TXT export of a single chat. Premium: $9.99 per month or $99 lifetime. Compare Claude plans →

What You Can Do in Claude Desktop Today

Claude Desktop puts Chat, Claude Cowork, and Claude Code in one app, and adds features the browser does not have: quick entry on Mac, desktop extensions for local tools, computer use, and direct access to local files. Here is what each one does, according to Anthropic's Help Center.

Quick entry: double-tap Option (Mac)

Quick entry opens a Claude text box from any app when you double-tap the Option key. You can drag to capture a screenshot, click an application window to attach it, or press Caps Lock to dictate. It is available on every plan, needs macOS 12 or later (macOS 14 or later for dictation), and uses the Screen recording, Accessibility, and Speech recognition permissions. Change the shortcut to Option + Space or a custom key in Settings, General (under Desktop app). Anthropic's quick entry article states it is not available on Windows.

Voice mode

Voice mode, a beta on all plans, lets you talk with Claude and hear spoken replies. In the desktop app, click the sound wave icon in the lower right of the chat window to start, and choose a voice in Settings, General. Anthropic notes Claude Fable models are not available in voice mode.

Desktop extensions and MCP

Desktop extensions are one-click packages for local MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers that connect Claude to files, apps, and tools on your computer. Open Settings, Extensions, click Browse extensions to install Anthropic-reviewed ones, or install a custom .mcpb file under Advanced settings. Claude Desktop includes its own Node.js runtime, and Anthropic says desktop extensions work only in Claude Desktop and Claude Code, not on the web or mobile. Cloud tools such as Slack or Google Drive use remote connectors instead, which work everywhere. See Getting started with local MCP servers on Claude Desktop.

Claude Cowork and Claude Code

On paid plans, select Cowork in the message box to hand Claude a multi-step task, such as organizing files or building a spreadsheet, or open the Code tab for Claude Code. Cowork sessions run in the cloud and follow your account to the web and mobile, while the desktop app gives Claude access to the local folders you connect. For web tasks, Cowork can use a browser built into the desktop app, which Anthropic is rolling out gradually as of mid-September 2026, or your own Chrome through the Claude in Chrome extension.

In our own test on a Mac in June 2026, we asked Claude Code in the desktop app to create a note in Apple Notes. It chose AppleScript and asked for approval before running the command, with Deny, Always allow, and Allow once buttons. After we clicked Allow once, the note appeared in Notes a few seconds later.

Where Computer Use Lives in Claude Desktop Now

Computer use, where Claude clicks, types, and opens apps on your screen, is now a beta inside Claude Cowork and Claude Code in the desktop app, for Pro and Max plans on macOS and Windows. Team and Enterprise plans do not have it at this time, and it is not yet available on Linux. Anthropic's computer use article gives these steps:

1. Update to the latest Claude Desktop from claude.com/download.
2. Open Settings, General (under Desktop app) and turn on Enable computer use.
3. Start a session in Cowork or Claude Code.
4. Ask for a task that involves an app on your computer. Claude asks permission before it accesses each app.

Claude uses the most precise tool first: a connector such as Gmail or Slack if one exists, then a browser, and only then direct screen interaction, which is slower. On macOS 15 or later it works in background windows by default, so you can keep using your Mac; set When Claude requests access to an app to Full control if you prefer it to take over the screen. Some sensitive apps, such as investment, trading, and cryptocurrency platforms, are blocked by default, and you can add others to a blocklist. In our June 2026 test on a Mac, turning the feature on also asked for the macOS Accessibility and Screen recording permissions shown below.

Anthropic is direct about the risks. Computer use has no sandbox between Claude and your apps, Claude takes screenshots and can see anything on screen, and its safeguards against prompt injection are not perfect. Your computer must stay awake with the desktop app open. Anthropic advises not giving it access to banking, healthcare, or government apps, closing sensitive files first, and starting with simple tasks.

Claude Desktop vs Claude in the Browser

The desktop app and claude.ai share the same account and chat history; the desktop app adds local, system-level features, while the browser is where Chrome extensions can add their own tools.

Claude Desktop Troubleshooting

Most Claude Desktop problems come from the wrong installer, missing permissions, or a feature that is not on your plan or operating system. These fixes come from Anthropic's Help Center articles linked in this guide.

• Cowork will not start on Windows: confirm Claude was installed with admin rights, enable Virtual Machine Platform, and use Restart rather than Shut down, since Fast Startup can leave virtualization services off. If VMware or VirtualBox is installed, Anthropic says the Windows hypervisor must be set to launch at boot. Virtual machines without nested virtualization are not supported.
• Cowork says virtualization is unavailable on Linux: turn on virtualization in BIOS or UEFI, add yourself to the kvm group with sudo usermod -aG kvm $USER, then log out and back in.
• The app will not update on a Mac: an app in the system Applications folder needs admin rights to update; ask your admin or reinstall to your user Applications folder.
• No computer use toggle: update the app, and check your plan and system. It is Pro and Max only, on macOS and Windows.
• Quick entry does nothing: it is Mac only, needs macOS 12 or later, and requires Claude Desktop running in the background plus the Accessibility and Screen recording permissions.
• A desktop extension installs but its tools are missing: restart Claude Desktop, then open the extension in Settings, Extensions and fill in any required fields or API keys.
• Login error: turn off your VPN, check status.claude.com for incidents, and make sure you are signing in with the same Google account or email as on the web.

What Claude Desktop Does Well, and What It Does Not Do

Claude Desktop is the most capable way to use Claude on a computer: it is free, it syncs with the web and mobile, and it is where quick entry, desktop extensions, and computer use live. For most people who chat with Claude every day, installing it is worth the two minutes. It has gaps too, and they matter if your history is large.

• Search is conversational, not keyword based. On paid plans you can ask Claude to search past chats, which it does with retrieval; inside a project the search stays within that project. There is no full-text search box that lists every message containing a phrase.
• No folders or message bookmarks. Claude groups chats into Projects, and free accounts can create up to five, but there is no nested folder tree and no way to bookmark an individual message. There is also no gauge for how full a long chat's context window is.
• Export is account-wide. Claude's data export sends one emailed download link, which expires after 24 hours, rather than exporting a single conversation; see how to back up Claude conversations.
• Browser extensions cannot run inside the app. Tools built as Chrome extensions only work on claude.ai in a browser.

That last point is where AI Toolbox (formerly Claude Toolbox) fits. It is a Chromium browser extension, not part of the desktop app, that adds full-text search, folders and subfolders, message bookmarks, and export to claude.ai in Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, or Arc. Because the desktop app and claude.ai share one history, conversations you start in the app are searchable in the browser once AI Toolbox syncs them. The free plan includes 5 search results per query, 2 folders, bookmarks in 2 conversations, and TXT export of a single chat; Premium is $9.99 per month or $99 lifetime and adds Markdown, JSON, PDF, and bulk export. All Access Lifetime ($199) unlocks the Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok modules of the extension; it is not a Claude subscription. Paid plans carry a 14-day money-back guarantee on the initial purchase. Learn more on the Claude module page, or see how to search Claude conversations, organize Claude chats into folders, bookmark Claude messages, and export Claude conversations, or add the free Claude context window meter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I download the Claude desktop app?

Download it from Anthropic's official page, claude.com/download, which offers macOS, Windows, Windows (arm64), and Linux builds. The older claude.ai/download address redirects there. Run the installer, open Claude, and sign in with Google or your email.

Is the Claude desktop app free?

Yes. The app is free to download and use on every plan, including Free, which gets Chat. Claude Code and Claude Cowork in the app need a paid plan, and computer use is a beta for Pro and Max only.

What are the system requirements for Claude Desktop?

Anthropic lists macOS 11 Big Sur or later, Windows 10 or later, and, for the Linux beta, Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or later or Debian 12 or later on x64 or arm64. Quick entry needs macOS 12 or later, and dictation needs macOS 14 or later.

Does Claude Desktop work on Windows on Arm and Apple Silicon Macs?

Yes. The download page has a separate Windows (arm64) installer for Arm-based PCs, and the Mac app is a universal build that runs on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

Is there a Claude desktop app for Linux or Chromebook?

Linux has a beta for Ubuntu and Debian, installed from Anthropic's apt repository, without computer use or dictation yet. For ChromeOS, the download page links to the Claude Android app on Google Play rather than a desktop build.

How do I turn on computer use in Claude Desktop?

Update Claude Desktop, open Settings, General (under Desktop app), and turn on Enable computer use. Then start a Cowork or Claude Code session and ask for a task. Claude asks permission before using each app. It is a beta for Pro and Max on macOS and Windows.

Does Claude Desktop replace claude.ai in the browser?

No. Both use the same account, and Anthropic says conversations, projects, memory, and preferences sync between them. The desktop app adds quick entry, desktop extensions, and computer use, while the browser version is where extensions such as AI Toolbox add full-text search, folders, bookmarks, and export.

Want your Claude history searchable after installing the app? Add AI Toolbox from the Chrome Web Store for free, used by 40,000+ people with a 4.7/5 rating, then compare AI Toolbox plans. For more on Claude itself, see our guides to Claude pricing plans, uploading files to Claude, Claude Projects, and Claude for Chrome vs AI Toolbox.

Sources

• Anthropic, Download Claude
• Anthropic Help Center, Install Claude Desktop
• Anthropic Help Center, Use quick entry with Claude Desktop on Mac
• Anthropic Help Center, Let Claude use your computer in Cowork
• Anthropic Help Center, Getting started with local MCP servers on Claude Desktop

Last updated: September 15, 2026