Claude Desktop App: Download, Install and Features (2026)

The Claude desktop app is Anthropic’s native app for macOS, Windows and Linux (beta). Download it from claude.ai/download, sign in, and you get three tabs: Chat for conversations, Cowork for longer agentic tasks on your files, and Code for Claude Code. It also connects local tools through MCP desktop extensions.

This guide covers system requirements, installation on each OS, what each tab does, how to connect tools, and the fixes for common problems. Details come from Anthropic’s installation article and Claude Code desktop docs, checked in October 2026.

Claude Desktop vs the web app vs mobile

All three use the same Claude account. Anthropic says the apps sync “conversations, projects, memory, and preferences across all devices.” The differences are about what each can reach.

	Desktop app	claude.ai in a browser	Mobile (iOS, Android)
Chat, projects, artifacts	Yes	Yes	Yes
Quick entry from anywhere on your computer	Yes	No	No
Local MCP servers (desktop extensions)	Yes	No	No
Cowork with direct access to local files	Yes	Web version without local files	Paid plans
Claude Code	Code tab, built in	claude.ai/code (cloud)	Via the Claude app
Install needed	Yes	No	App store

If you only chat with Claude, the browser is fine. Install the desktop app if you want Claude to work with files and tools on your computer.

System requirements

As of October 2026, Anthropic lists these requirements:

Operating system	Minimum version	Architecture
macOS	macOS 13 Ventura or later	Universal build: Intel and Apple Silicon
Windows	Windows 10 or later	x64, plus a separate ARM64 installer
Linux (beta)	Ubuntu 22.04 LTS+ or Debian 12+	x64 or arm64

Other Linux distributions are not listed as supported.

How to download and install Claude Desktop

macOS

1. Go to claude.ai/download and download the macOS version.
2. Open the downloaded file to complete the installation.
3. Launch Claude from Applications and sign in.

Windows

1. On the same download page, choose Windows or Windows (ARM 64) for Snapdragon and other ARM laptops.
2. Run the installer.
3. Start Claude from the Start menu and sign in.

Linux (Ubuntu and Debian, beta)

Anthropic recommends installing through apt so the app updates with your other packages; the support article gives the exact repository commands. Alternatively, download the .deb for your architecture and install it:

sudo apt install ./claude-desktop.deb

The file name depends on the version you download. Use the apt method if you want automatic updates.

What’s inside: Chat, Cowork and Code

Chat

The familiar Claude conversation, with projects, artifacts, file uploads, connectors and memory. Desktop adds a quick entry shortcut so you can ask Claude something without switching windows. Two features are worth learning early: Claude Projects keep files and instructions together, and Claude Artifacts give you documents, code and small apps in a side panel.

Cowork

Anthropic describes Cowork as using “the same agentic architecture that powers Claude Code, with no terminal required.” Instead of answering one prompt at a time, Claude takes on multi-step tasks: working with local files without uploading them, producing spreadsheets and presentations, browsing websites, and running scheduled tasks. Work can continue in the cloud when your computer is off.

Cowork is available on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans. In the desktop app it runs on macOS, Windows and Linux (beta).

Code (Claude Code)

In the desktop app, “Claude Code is the Code tab.” The app includes Claude Code, so you don’t need to install the CLI separately, though a paid subscription is required. Highlights from the official docs:

• Parallel sessions, each with its own history and project folder, with git worktree isolation.
• Visual diff review with line-by-line comments, plus integrated terminal and file editor panes.
• PR monitoring with CI status.
• Scheduled tasks that run on your machine with access to local files.
• Cloud sessions on Anthropic infrastructure that keep running if you close the app.
• Connectors and plugins, including GitHub, Slack, Linear and custom MCP servers.

Already using Claude Code in a terminal? Run /desktop to continue the current session in the app (macOS and x64 Windows, claude.ai subscription required). New to it? Read what Claude Code is first, then the getting started guide.

Connect your tools: MCP, extensions and connectors

The desktop app’s biggest advantage over the browser is local tool access through the Model Context Protocol. You have three options:

Method	What it connects	Where it runs	Effort
Connectors	Cloud services such as Google Drive or GitHub	Anthropic’s cloud	A few clicks
Desktop extensions (.mcpb)	Local MCP servers packaged for one-click install	Your computer	One click
claude_desktop_config.json	Any MCP server	Your computer	Paste some JSON

Anthropic calls desktop extensions “a streamlined way to install and manage local MCP servers through single-click installable packages.” To add one:

1. Open Settings, go to Desktop app, and click Manage next to Extensions.
2. Click Browse extensions and install one from the Anthropic-reviewed directory.
3. Or, under Advanced settings, use Install Extension… to add a .mcpb file you trust.

Extensions support Node.js, Python and binary MCP servers, and Claude Desktop includes a built-in Node.js runtime. On Team and Enterprise plans, owners control which extensions members can use.

For the full walkthrough, including the config file location on each OS and log files, follow our Claude Desktop MCP setup guide. To choose servers, see MCP servers for Claude and our best MCP servers list.

Which plan do you need?

The download is free. Features depend on your plan, as of October 2026:

Feature	Free	Pro / Max	Team / Enterprise
Chat, projects, artifacts	Yes, with lower limits	Yes	Yes
Cowork	No	Yes	Yes
Code tab (Claude Code)	No	Yes	Yes
Dispatch and computer use	No	Yes	No

Usage limits and prices change, so check our Claude pricing guide and the Pro vs Max comparison before upgrading.

Common problems and fixes

Problem	Fix
Installer won’t open on Windows ARM	Download the ARM64 build, not x64
Linux app won’t install	Check you are on Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+; other distros aren’t supported
MCP server doesn’t appear	Fully quit and restart Claude after editing the config file; check the MCP logs
No Code or Cowork tab features	These need a paid plan; sign in with the right account
Extension asks for an API key	Enter it in the extension settings, never in a chat

Our MCP setup guide has a longer troubleshooting table with log paths.

Safety tips

• Local MCP servers and extensions run with your user account’s permissions. Install them only from sources you trust.
• Give Cowork and extensions access only to the folders they need.
• Review what Claude Code proposes before approving commands, and read about permission modes to set sensible defaults.

Where to go next

Start with Chat to learn how Claude responds, add one or two extensions for the tools you use daily, then try Cowork or the Code tab on a small, real task. If you want Claude inside your browser rather than a separate app, compare the options in our best Claude Chrome extensions guide. And for the bigger picture of Anthropic’s products, read what Claude is.