Claude Code Desktop App: Installation & First Use Guide

Learning Objectives

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Download and install the Claude Code desktop app on your operating system
• Sign in with your Claude account and open the Code tab
• Start your first AI coding session with the desktop app
• Review and accept the changes Claude proposes
• Troubleshoot common installation issues

Time needed: 10–15 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Which version is covered? This tutorial covers the Claude Code desktop app — the graphical application you download and install like a normal program. It does not cover the terminal CLI or the web version. If you want to work in the terminal instead, jump straight to the Claude Code CLI Beginner's Guide.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

What is Claude Code Desktop?

Claude Code Desktop is the desktop application version of Claude Code, Anthropic's AI coding agent. Unlike the CLI (command-line tool), the desktop app gives you a graphical interface: a sidebar for running multiple sessions side by side, a drag-and-drop layout with an integrated terminal and file editor, a diff view for reviewing changes, and live app preview. No terminal required.

Important: the free Claude.ai plan does not include Claude Code. You need a paid subscription (Pro from $20/month, Max from $100/month, Team, or Enterprise).

Download & Install

The desktop app includes Claude Code built in. You do not need to install Node.js or the CLI separately — the download below is everything you need.

Sign In and Open the Code Tab

When you first launch the desktop app, you will see a sign-in screen:

1. 1Click Log in and sign in with your Claude account (your Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise subscription). A browser window opens to complete the sign-in, then returns you to the app.
2. 2The app has three tabs at the top:

• Chat — general conversation with no file access, similar to claude.ai
• Cowork — an autonomous background agent that works on tasks in a sandboxed virtual machine while you do other work
• Code — an interactive coding assistant with direct access to your local files. This is the tab this tutorial uses.

1. 1Click the Code tab.

• If it prompts you to upgrade, your account does not include Claude Code — subscribe to a paid plan first.
• If it prompts you to sign in online, complete the sign-in and restart the app.

1. 1When the Code tab opens, the desktop app is ready.

Your First Coding Session

Step 1: Choose an environment and folder

In the Code tab, select Local to run Claude on your machine using your files directly. Then click Select folder and choose your project directory.

Tip: start with a small project you know well. It is the fastest way to see what Claude Code can do.

You can also choose other environments:

• Cloud — runs the session in the cloud; it keeps running even if you close the app
• SSH — connects to a remote machine, such as a server, cloud VM, or dev container
• WSL (Windows only) — runs the session inside a WSL 2 Linux distribution

For this tutorial, Local is all you need.

Step 2: Choose a model

Next to the send button there is a model dropdown. Select the model you want to use. You can change it later from the same dropdown at any time.

Step 3: Tell Claude what to do

Type what you want Claude to do, for example:

Add tests for the main function

Other examples to try:

• Find a TODO comment and fix it — finds unfinished code and fixes it
• Create a CLAUDE.md with instructions for this codebase — writes a project guidance file
• Explain what this project does — summarizes the project

A session is a conversation with Claude about your code. Each session tracks its own context and changes, so you can work on multiple tasks without them interfering with each other.

Step 4: Review and accept changes

By default, the Code tab starts in Manual mode, where Claude proposes changes and waits for your approval before applying them. You will see:

1. 1A diff view showing exactly what will change in each file
2. 2Accept / Reject buttons to approve or decline each change
3. 3Real-time updates as Claude works through your request

Your files are not modified until you click Accept. If you reject a change, Claude asks how you would like to proceed differently.

Step 5: Try more helpful features

• Interrupt and steer — click the stop button to interrupt Claude, or type a correction and press Enter without stopping the running action
• Give Claude more context — type @filename in the prompt box to pull a file into the conversation, or drag and drop files directly into the prompt
• Open the terminal — press Ctrl + \` (backtick) to open an integrated terminal next to your session
• Switch permission modes — use the mode selector to switch between Manual (ask before every change), Accept edits (auto-accept file edits for faster iteration), and Plan (propose an approach without editing anything)
• Preview your app — when you run your dev server, your app opens in the Browser pane where Claude can view it and test endpoints

Troubleshooting

How to Uninstall

Next Steps

• Read the CLI guide: the desktop app and the CLI share the same engine and configuration (CLAUDE.md files, MCP servers, skills). Learn the terminal version in the Claude Code CLI Beginner's Guide
• Use skills for repeatable tasks: type / or click the + button to browse built-in commands and custom skills
• Run sessions in parallel: open the sidebar to work on multiple tasks at once, each in its own Git worktree
• Put Claude on a schedule: set up scheduled tasks for a daily code review, a weekly dependency audit, or a morning briefing
• Connect external tools: click the + button next to the prompt box and select Plugins to add skills, agents, and MCP servers