Install the Claude Desktop App

Claude Desktop is a standalone chat app for Windows and Mac. You open it, type a message, and Claude answers — no terminal, no typing commands. It’s a great way to chat with Claude for everyday questions, research, or writing.

This is different from Claude Code, the tool used in the rest of these tutorials. Claude Code lives in a terminal and helps you write and edit code in a project folder. Claude Desktop is a general-purpose chat window. You can install both, and even open Claude Code from inside Claude Desktop on paid plans.

Key Concepts

Claude Desktop: A native app for Windows and Mac where you chat with Claude directly, like a messaging app.
Claude.ai account: The account you sign in with — the same one you’d use at claude.ai. Free and paid plans both work.
Claude Code: The terminal-based coding assistant covered in the other tutorials on this site. It’s a separate install — see Install Claude Code on Windows or Install Claude Code on Mac.

What You’ll Need

A Windows 10 (or newer) or Mac (macOS 11 Big Sur or newer) computer
Internet connection
A free or paid Claude.ai account (you can create one during setup if you don’t have one)
5 minutes

Step 1: Download the Installer

Go to claude.ai/download
Windows: Click Download for Windows. (If you have an ARM-based Windows PC — uncommon — use the separate arm64 download link on the page instead.)
Mac: Click Download for macOS. This single download works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, so you don’t need to know which chip your Mac has.

Step 2: Install the App

Windows

Open the downloaded file (check your Downloads folder if it doesn’t open automatically)
Follow the installer’s on-screen prompts
When it finishes, find Claude in your Start menu

Mac

Open the downloaded file
Drag the Claude icon into the Applications folder when prompted
Open Claude from your Applications folder or Launchpad

Launch the Claude app
Log in with your Claude.ai account, following the on-screen prompts
Don’t have an account? Go to claude.ai first to create a free one, then come back and sign in

Step 4: Send Your First Message

Click into the message box
Type something like: What can you help me with?
Press Enter to send
Claude will reply right in the app window

Step 5: (Optional) See What Else Claude Desktop Can Do

Claude Desktop isn’t just for chatting. Depending on your plan:

Chat — available on every plan, including Free
Claude Code — Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans can launch Claude Code from inside Claude Desktop, without opening a separate terminal
Claude Cowork — on paid plans, lets Claude work on multi-step tasks with access to local files
Desktop Extensions — an advanced feature that connects Claude to local apps and files through a directory of installable extensions; not needed to get started

You don’t need any of these to use Claude Desktop for everyday chatting — they’re worth exploring once you’re comfortable with the basics.

Next Steps

Install Claude Code on Windows or Install Claude Code on Mac — set up the terminal-based coding assistant used in the rest of these tutorials
Claude Code: Basic Operations — learn the essentials once Claude Code is installed
What Is Anthropic and Claude? — a quick primer if you’re new to Claude in general

Troubleshooting

Windows blocks the installer with a “Windows protected your PC” message — This is Windows’ standard SmartScreen warning for new downloads, not specific to Claude. Click More info, then Run anyway, if you trust the source (the official claude.ai/download page).
Mac says the app “cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer” — This is macOS Gatekeeper, a standard security check. Right-click (or Control-click) the Claude app and choose Open, then confirm.
Sign-in doesn’t work — Check your internet connection, and confirm you can log in at claude.ai in a browser first.
App won’t launch after installing — Restart your computer, then try opening Claude again. If that doesn’t help, redownload the installer from claude.ai/download.

Created by Steven Ge on September 18, 2026.