Chapter L2.1 — Installing Claude Desktop
Level 2 — Local installation. Product details verified on 22/06/2026 against official sources.
Goal
By the end you will have the Claude Desktop app installed on your computer, you will know how to sign in, and you will understand what its three tabs are for: Chat, Cowork and Code. Claude Desktop is the application that brings Claude straight to the desktop, without going through the browser.
Prerequisites
- A Claude account (see ch. F.3). For Chat alone, signing in is enough; for Cowork you need a paid plan.
- A macOS or Windows computer. There is no Linux app: you use the CLI instead (see ch. L2.2).
- An active internet connection.
System requirements
The app runs on recent systems. On Mac a single build covers both Intel and Apple Silicon processors; on Windows there is a separate version for ARM64.
Table L2.1.1 — Supported systems.
| System | Minimum version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | 11 (Big Sur) | Universal build |
| Windows | 10 | x64; ARM64 separate |
| Linux | — | none: use the CLI |
Download and install
The path is the same for everyone: a download page, a file to open, a sign-in. Figure L2.1.1 sums up the flow, including the Linux case.
Figure L2.1.1 — Claude Desktop installation flow. Alt text: vertical diagram from download to choosing the tab.
Note: the download page detects your system, but you can always pick the macOS or Windows version manually.
The app’s three tabs
Once you are in, the app is split into three areas. It helps to know right away which one does what, so you don’t go looking for a feature in the wrong place.
Table L2.1.2 — What each tab is for.
| Tab | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Chat | conversations with Claude |
| Cowork | long agentic tasks and Dispatch |
| Code | software development in-app |
Chat is the starting point. Cowork hands Claude multi-step work on a folder on your computer (we cover it in Level 3); Dispatch also starts here (sending a task off so it continues remotely, picked up again in Level 6). Code brings the CLI’s capabilities into the app (Level 2 onward).
In practice: install and sign in
- Open claude.ai/download and choose macOS or Windows.
- Open the file you downloaded to complete the installation.
- Launch Claude from Applications (Mac) or the Start menu (Windows).
- Sign in with your account.
- Open the tabs and try Chat with a first message.
Tip (Windows + Code): the first time you open the Code tab on Windows you need Git for Windows installed. Install it and restart the app.
Cowork: what to know first
Cowork is included in the paid plans (Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise) and runs in an isolated VM (virtual machine) on your computer. It reads and writes only in the folders you connect, and the network follows your egress (outbound traffic) settings. On Windows you have to enable the Virtual Machine Platform.
Common mistakes
- I’m on Linux and can’t find the app. Correct: it doesn’t exist. Use the CLI (ch. L2.2).
- Windows ARM PC. Download the dedicated ARM64 installer, not the x64.
- Cowork won’t start (Windows). Check the paid plan and that the Virtual Machine Platform is enabled.
- The Code tab errors on first launch (Windows). Git for Windows is missing: install it and restart the app.
Summary
- Claude Desktop is available on macOS 11+ and Windows 10+, not on Linux.
- You install it from claude.ai/download: download, open, sign in.
- The app has three tabs: Chat, Cowork, Code.
- Cowork requires a paid plan and runs in an isolated VM.
- On Windows, the Code tab requires Git for Windows on first launch.
Next step
In ch. L2.2 — Installing Claude Code we look at the command-line version (CLI), useful on Linux and for anyone automating, and the installation methods along with their upkeep.
Details verified on 22/06/2026 on support.claude.com (Install Claude Desktop) and code.claude.com/docs/en/desktop. The installation is graphical and tied to the account, so it was not run in the VM; the steps are reported faithfully from the official documentation.