Claude Download: How to Download the Claude App and Install Claude Code

The official Claude download page is claude.com/download (opens in a new tab): it has the Claude desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux (beta), plus links to the iOS and Android apps. Claude Code, the developer tool, installs with a one-line terminal command instead. It's Anthropic's agentic coding tool — it reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands, and works across your dev tools, available in the terminal, your IDE, a desktop app, and the browser. This guide walks through every way to download and install it, with the exact commands for macOS, Windows, and Linux, plus how to verify the install, keep it updated, uninstall it, and fix the errors people hit most often. If you're not a developer, there's a note near the end on what you probably want instead.

TL;DR

The fastest way to get Claude Code is the native installer. On macOS, Linux, or WSL, run curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash. On Windows PowerShell, run irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex. Then open a project folder and type claude to start — you'll be prompted to sign in on first use. Prefer npm? Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. Prefer a GUI? Use the VS Code extension, the desktop app, or run it in the browser at claude.ai/code (opens in a new tab). A paid Claude subscription or Anthropic Console account is required for most surfaces. Not a developer? You probably want Claude Cowork, not Claude Code.

Where to download Claude (the official sources)

"Claude download" can mean two different things, and each has one official source:

• The Claude app (chat, Cowork, and Claude Code in a window): download it from claude.com/download (opens in a new tab). There are builds for macOS, Windows (x64 and ARM64), and Linux (beta, Ubuntu and Debian). The mobile apps are on the App Store and Google Play, and claude.ai (opens in a new tab) works in any browser with nothing to download.
• Claude Code in the terminal: install it from Anthropic's endpoint at claude.ai, which every command below points to. Only ever use https://claude.ai/install.sh, https://claude.ai/install.ps1, https://claude.ai/install.cmd, or the official npm package @anthropic-ai/claude-code.

Ignore third-party "Claude installer" downloads, mirror sites, and random .exe files. They are not from Anthropic. If you're after Cowork specifically, our guide to Claude Cowork on Mac, Windows, Linux, and the web covers which platforms support it and what each needs.

System requirements

Before you install, a quick checklist so nothing stalls midway:

• Operating system. macOS 13.0+ (Intel or Apple Silicon), Windows 10 (1809+) or 11, or a modern Linux distribution (Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 10+, Fedora, RHEL, Alpine 3.19+, and others via glibc/musl builds). You'll want a machine with 4 GB+ RAM and an x64 or ARM64 processor. On Windows, the native installer works directly, and WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is fully supported.
• A terminal. Terminal or iTerm on macOS, any shell on Linux, and PowerShell or CMD on Windows.
• Node.js (only for the npm method). The native installer bundles everything it needs and does not require Node. If you choose the npm install path instead, recent versions of the package expect Node.js 22 or newer.
• An account. Claude Code requires a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise) or an Anthropic Console account — the free Claude.ai plan does not include Claude Code. The terminal CLI and VS Code also support third-party model providers like Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud's Vertex AI, and Microsoft Foundry.
• Git (recommended on Windows). Installing Git for Windows (opens in a new tab) lets Claude Code use its Bash tool natively.

Option 1: Install in the terminal (recommended)

The native installer is the recommended method. It's a single command, needs no Node.js, and auto-updates in the background so you stay on the latest version.

macOS, Linux, or WSL:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

This works the same on an Intel Mac, an Apple Silicon Mac, and every supported Linux distribution — the script detects your OS and CPU architecture and pulls the right build. It installs the claude binary to ~/.local/bin.

Windows PowerShell:

irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex

Windows CMD:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

Quick tip if you hit an error: if you see The token '&&' is not a valid statement separator, you're in PowerShell, not CMD. If you see 'irm' is not recognized, you're in CMD, not PowerShell. PowerShell prompts show PS C:\; CMD shows C:\ without the PS.

On native Windows, Git for Windows (opens in a new tab) is recommended so Claude Code can use its Bash tool; without it, Claude Code falls back to PowerShell. WSL setups don't need it.

Option 2: Install with a package manager

If you'd rather manage Claude Code with your system's package manager:

Homebrew (macOS):

brew install --cask claude-code

Homebrew offers two casks — claude-code (stable channel, ~a week behind) and claude-code@latest (newest releases). Homebrew installs don't auto-update; run brew upgrade claude-code to update.

WinGet (Windows):

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

WinGet installs don't auto-update either; run winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode periodically.

Linux (apt / dnf / apk): On Debian and Ubuntu you can install via apt, on Fedora and RHEL via dnf, and on Alpine via apk, using Anthropic's package repository. If you just want the quickest path on Linux, the native installer in Option 1 is still the simplest — one command, no repo setup.

Option 3: Install with npm

If you already live in the Node.js ecosystem, you can install Claude Code globally from npm. This is the classic "claudecode install" path:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Requirements: recent versions expect Node.js 22 or newer (on an older Node you'll see a warning, but it still runs, because the package installs a native binary that doesn't use Node at runtime). Do not run this with sudo — if you get permission errors, fix your npm global prefix instead (see Troubleshooting below). To update later, run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest (prefer this over npm update -g, which can leave you on an older release). The native installer (Option 1) is still recommended for most people because it auto-updates and doesn't depend on your Node version, but npm is a solid choice if Node is already part of your workflow.

Option 4: Start it

Once installed with any method above, open any project and launch it:

cd your-project
claude

You'll be prompted to log in on first use. That's it — you're in. From here you can give Claude Code tasks in plain language: "add tests for this module," "find where we handle auth," "refactor this file."

Option 5: Use the GUI surfaces instead

Not everyone wants the command line. Claude Code also ships as:

• VS Code / Cursor extension — search "Claude Code" in the Extensions view (Cmd+Shift+X / Ctrl+Shift+X), install, then open the Command Palette and run "Claude Code: Open in New Tab." Adds inline diffs, @-mentions, and plan review in your editor.
• Desktop app — the Claude desktop app now runs Claude Code in a graphical window, no terminal required: visual diff review, multiple sessions side by side, and the same underlying agent you'd get in the CLI. It's the easiest option if you don't want the command line. Download it for macOS, Windows, or Linux from claude.com/download (opens in a new tab). A paid subscription is required.
• JetBrains plugin — for IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, and the rest. Install from the JetBrains Marketplace and restart your IDE.
• Web — no local setup at all. Start coding in your browser at claude.ai/code (opens in a new tab), useful for long-running tasks and repos you don't have locally.

Claude Code vs. the Claude desktop app, the web app, and the Console

A lot of "Claude download" searches mix up a few things that share the name. Here's the plain-English map so you download the right one:

• Claude Code (CLI) — the agentic coding tool this guide covers, run from your terminal or IDE. Keyboard-driven and scriptable. Installs via the terminal command, npm, or a package manager above.
• The Claude desktop app — Anthropic's general Claude application for Mac, Windows, and Linux, which now has Claude Code built in. That means you can run the exact same coding agent in a point-and-click window — visual diffs, side-by-side sessions — without ever opening a terminal. On Windows it's distributed as an MSIX package, which is why people search "Claude MSIX download." Download it from claude.com/download (opens in a new tab). So the CLI and the desktop app aren't rival products: the desktop app is simply the GUI way to run Claude Code (plus everyday Claude chat).
• Claude on the web — claude.ai (opens in a new tab) for chat, and claude.ai/code (opens in a new tab) for Claude Code in the browser. Nothing to download.
• The Anthropic Console — searches for "Claude Console download" are usually looking for console.anthropic.com (opens in a new tab), the web dashboard for API keys, billing, and usage. It's a website; there is nothing to install. You may want a Console account because it's one of the ways to authenticate Claude Code.

In short: use the CLI if you live in the terminal; use the desktop app if you'd rather run the same agent in a window with no terminal. If you just want everyday Claude chat, the desktop app or the web app both work.

Verify your install

After installing, confirm everything is wired up correctly:

claude --version

That should print a version number. For a fuller health check — PATH setup, permissions, auto-update status, and configuration — run:

claude doctor

claude doctor is the first thing to run whenever something feels off; it flags most install and environment problems and tells you how to fix them.

Keep Claude Code updated

If you installed with the native installer (Option 1), Claude Code updates itself automatically in the background — you don't have to do anything. To force an update or check your channel manually, run:

claude update

If you installed with a package manager or npm, updates are manual:

• Homebrew: brew upgrade claude-code
• WinGet: winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode
• npm: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest

Staying current matters — Claude Code ships improvements frequently, and some features assume a recent version.

Uninstall Claude Code

If you need to remove it, match the method you installed with:

• Native installer: remove the binary and version files with rm -f ~/.local/bin/claude and rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude (on Windows PowerShell, delete %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\claude.exe and the %USERPROFILE%\.local\share\claude folder). To also wipe your settings, delete the ~/.claude directory and the ~/.claude.json file in your home folder.
• npm: npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
• Homebrew: brew uninstall --cask claude-code
• WinGet: winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode
• GUI surfaces: remove the VS Code extension from the Extensions view, uninstall the JetBrains plugin from the Marketplace panel, or uninstall the desktop app like any other application.

Troubleshooting common install errors

command not found: claude after installing. The install directory isn't on your PATH. The native installer puts claude in ~/.local/bin — make sure that folder is on your PATH, then restart your terminal (or run source ~/.zshrc / source ~/.bashrc). Running claude doctor will confirm the PATH issue and point you to the fix.

npm EACCES / permission denied. Don't reinstall with sudo — that usually causes more problems. Instead, set a user-writable npm global prefix, or just switch to the native installer in Option 1, which sidesteps npm entirely.

'irm' is not recognized or '&&' is not a valid statement separator on Windows. You're using the wrong shell for that command. irm ... | iex is a PowerShell command; the && one-liner is for CMD. Check your prompt: PS C:\ means PowerShell, plain C:\ means CMD.

Bash tool warnings on native Windows. Install Git for Windows (opens in a new tab) so Claude Code can use its Bash tool. Without it, Claude Code falls back to PowerShell, which works but limits some behavior.

Corporate proxy or firewall blocking the download. If the install script can't reach claude.ai, you're likely behind a proxy. Set your HTTPS_PROXY environment variable, or download on a network that allows outbound HTTPS to claude.ai.

Login or "unauthorized" errors on first run. Most surfaces need an active paid Claude subscription or an Anthropic Console account with billing enabled. Confirm your plan, then run claude again and complete the sign-in prompt.

When in doubt, claude doctor is your fastest diagnostic.

Are you sure you want Claude Code?

Worth a gut check before you install anything. Claude Code is a tool for developers — its whole job is reading and editing codebases, running commands, and managing git. If you don't write software, it's almost certainly not the tool you're looking for.

If you're a business owner or knowledge worker who wants AI to help with documents, research, file organization, and everyday work, the tool you actually want is Claude Cowork — the same agentic engine, but in a desktop app with no terminal and no setup. We break down the difference in Claude Code vs. Claude Cowork, cover what Cowork does in what Claude Cowork can do, and if you're weighing it against an IDE, see Claude Code vs. Cursor. Curious how Claude compares to other tools for everyday work? Start with how to use Claude for work.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the official Claude download page?

It's claude.com/download (opens in a new tab). That page has the Claude desktop app for macOS, Windows, and Linux (beta), plus links to the iPhone and Android apps. Claude Code for the terminal installs with a command instead, covered above.

How do I download Claude Code?

The recommended method is the native installer in your terminal. On macOS, Linux, or WSL run curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash; on Windows PowerShell run irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex. You can also install via npm (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code), Homebrew (brew install --cask claude-code), or WinGet (winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode), or use the VS Code extension, desktop app, or web version.

Where do I download Claude Code from?

From Anthropic's official install endpoint at claude.ai — that's what every terminal command points to — or the official @anthropic-ai/claude-code package on npm. The GUI options come from official marketplaces: the VS Code and JetBrains listings, and Anthropic's site for the desktop app. Avoid any third-party "installer" download that isn't one of these.

How do I install Claude Code on Mac?

Open Terminal and run curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash. The same command works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. Prefer Homebrew? Run brew install --cask claude-code. Then type claude in any project folder to start.

How do I install Claude Code on Windows?

In PowerShell, run irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex. In CMD, run curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd. Or use WinGet: winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode. Installing Git for Windows is recommended so Claude Code can use its Bash tool. There's also a Windows desktop app for x64 and ARM64.

How do I install Claude Code on Linux?

Run the native installer: curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash. It detects your distribution and CPU architecture automatically and works on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, RHEL, Alpine, and more. You can also install through your package manager (apt, dnf, or apk) using Anthropic's repository.

Can I install Claude Code with npm?

Yes. Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. Recent versions expect Node.js 22 or newer, and you should not use sudo. Update later with npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest. The native installer is still recommended because it auto-updates and doesn't depend on Node.

Do I need to pay for Claude Code?

Yes for most uses. Claude Code requires a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise) or an Anthropic Console account — the free Claude.ai plan does not include Claude Code. The terminal CLI and VS Code also support third-party model providers like Amazon Bedrock and Google Vertex AI. Check Anthropic's current pricing for exact terms, since plans change over time.

What's the difference between Claude Code and the Claude desktop app?

Claude Code is the agentic coding tool — it edits code, runs commands, and manages git. The Claude desktop app is Anthropic's general Claude application, and it now runs Claude Code inside it, so you can use the coding agent in a graphical window without ever opening a terminal. On Windows the desktop app ships as an MSIX package. They aren't rival products: the desktop app is simply the GUI way to run Claude Code, while the CLI is the terminal way.

Is there a Claude Console download?

No — the Anthropic Console at console.anthropic.com is a website, not a downloadable app. It's where you manage API keys, billing, and usage, and a Console account is one way to authenticate Claude Code.

How do I start Claude Code after installing?

Open your terminal, change into a project directory with cd your-project, then type claude and press enter. On first use you'll be prompted to log in. After that, you can give Claude Code tasks in plain language.

How do I update or uninstall Claude Code?

If you used the native installer, it auto-updates; run claude update to force it. Package-manager installs update manually (brew upgrade claude-code, winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode, or npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code@latest). To uninstall, run rm -f ~/.local/bin/claude and rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude (native), or use npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, brew uninstall --cask claude-code, or winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode.

Do I need Claude Code or Claude Cowork?

Claude Code is for developers — it edits codebases, runs commands, and manages git from the terminal or IDE. Claude Cowork is for everyone else — it handles documents, research, and file-based business workflows in a desktop app with no terminal. If you don't write software, you almost certainly want Claude Cowork, not Claude Code.

Next step

If you're a developer, install with the command above, run claude in a project, and try a small task like "write tests for this module and fix any failures." When you're ready to go deeper, our Claude Code training path lays out what to learn first.

If you're a business owner or knowledge worker who landed here looking for AI help with everyday work, the better starting point is the free Claude Cowork course — practical lessons and real workflows, built for non-developers. New to the desktop app? Start with getting started with Cowork, or grab a Claude guest pass to try it first. It's a free download.