Download Claude desktop for Windows from claude.com/download (x64 or ARM64) or the Microsoft Store, run the installer and sign in. It needs Windows 10 or later and works on the Free plan. Admin rights are needed for Cowork. Quick entry on Windows defaults to Ctrl+Alt+Space, which you can change in Settings.
The Windows app has changed a lot since its October 2024 launch. In 2026 it gained Claude Code, Cowork (Anthropic now just calls it Claude) and desktop extensions that connect Claude to local files and tools. Some of Anthropic's help pages haven't caught up, so a few details below come from the app itself and from public bug reports. We say which is which.
How do you install Claude desktop on Windows?
- Pick the right build. On claude.com/download (claude.ai/download redirects there) choose "Windows" for Intel and AMD PCs or "Windows (arm64)" for Snapdragon laptops. A Microsoft Store listing is also available if you prefer Store updates.
- Run the installer. Claude installs as a per-user MSIX package. If you want Cowork, accept the Windows UAC prompt. Anthropic's Windows deployment article says users without admin rights can still install Claude, but Cowork won't be available.
- Sign in. Open Claude from the Start menu and sign in with your claude.ai account. Chats sync with the web.
- Enable virtualization for Cowork. Cowork needs the Windows Virtual Machine Platform feature and a restart. Virtual machines and VDI without nested virtualization aren't supported.
- Leave updates on. The app checks for updates about every four hours and installs them itself. Admins can turn that off with the
disableAutoUpdatespolicy.
What goes wrong: IT teams that upload the MSIX to Intune as a line-of-business app find it fails for standard users, because it installs in user context. Anthropic recommends staging it with Add-AppxProvisionedPackage for machine-wide installs.
Is Claude desktop free on Windows?
The app is free and chat works on every plan. The extras don't. Here's what each plan unlocks in the desktop app, from Anthropic's install guide, with prices checked October 2026.
| Plan | Price | Chat | Claude Code in the app | Cowork |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Yes | No | No |
| Pro | $20/month ($17/month billed yearly) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Max | $100 or $200/month | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Team / Enterprise | Per seat | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What does Claude desktop do that claude.ai doesn't?
For plain conversation, nothing much. Same models, same projects, same history. The app is worth installing for three things the browser can't do:
- Local access. Desktop extensions (built on the Model Context Protocol, MCP) let Claude read folders you approve and talk to local tools. Configuration lives in
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. - Claude Code and Cowork. Both run inside the app on paid plans. Anthropic notes that local Cowork sessions stay on the device.
- Quick entry. A small input box you call up from anywhere with a global shortcut, covered next.
People also search "Claude desktop vs Claude Code". Claude Code started as a terminal tool and still runs that way. In the desktop app it's a tab, which suits people who don't live in a terminal. Same product, different front door.
How does quick entry work on Windows?
Anthropic's quick entry help article still says the feature is macOS-only. That's out of date for current Windows builds. On Windows the app shows a Quick Entry keyboard shortcut under Settings > System, and the default is Ctrl + Alt + Space. Clicking the taskbar icon also opens the quick entry box rather than the main window, and a feature request from early 2026 (anthropics/claude-code #22420) points out that Windows has no setting to change that click behavior.
There's also an open bug worth knowing. A report from October 4, 2026, on Claude desktop 2.19675.0 (#99491), says a custom quick entry shortcut stops working after every restart or update when a hidden preference called legacyQuickEntryEnabled is false. The reporter fixed it by setting that preference to true in claude_desktop_config.json. Edit that file only with Claude closed, and keep a copy, since it's not an officially supported change.
How quick entry on Windows differs from the Mac
On a Mac, Anthropic documents the defaults: double-tap Option opens quick entry, with Option + Space or a custom shortcut as alternatives under Settings > General. The Mac app also has a separate voice shortcut that can use Caps Lock. Windows has none of those presets. You get one global shortcut field, Ctrl+Alt+Space out of the box, and the taskbar icon as a second way in. If you move between a Mac and a Windows PC, it's worth setting both to keys your fingers can find on either keyboard, since the Windows key sits where Option does on a Mac layout.
Why does Ctrl+Alt+Space stop working when AuraCloak is running?
Both apps want the same key. AuraCloak uses Ctrl + Alt + Space to show and hide its overlay, and Windows only lets one running app own a global hotkey. Whichever app starts first wins. If Claude starts first, AuraCloak logs that the hotkey was unavailable and you can still open it from its tray icon.
AuraCloak's toggle key is fixed at Ctrl+Alt+Space in the current version, so change Claude's side:
- Open Claude desktop and go to Settings > System.
- Click the Quick Entry keyboard shortcut field.
- Press a combination nothing else uses. Avoid Alt+Space too, because ChatGPT Classic, the Gemini app, Microsoft Copilot and PowerToys Run all compete for it.
- Restart Claude and test the new shortcut. If it stops working after the next update, that's the bug described above.
What are the limits of Claude desktop on Windows?
| Limit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Claude models only | No switching to GPT or Gemini in the same window. |
| No always-on-top setting | The main window falls behind whatever you click next. Quick entry closes after you send. |
| Visible in screen share | Share your entire screen and the Claude window is in the stream. |
| Cowork needs admin and virtualization | Locked-down work laptops often can't use it. |
| Docs lag the app | Quick entry on Windows isn't in Anthropic's help center yet, so settings may move between versions. |
If you only need chat, the claude.ai tab in Edge installed as an app (Edge menu > Apps > Install this site as an app) is lighter and gives you a taskbar icon. It doesn't give you desktop extensions or Cowork.
Keep Claude on top of your work and out of screen shares: AuraCloak runs claude.ai or the Claude API in one overlay.
Get AuraCloakWhen is an overlay better than the Claude app?
When you want Claude visible while you work in another app, especially on a call. AuraCloak is a Windows overlay that stays above other windows and is left out of Zoom, Teams, Google Meet and OBS captures because it sets the Windows capture-exclusion flag on its own window. It doesn't hide from a phone camera pointed at the screen or from a hardware capture card.
- Browser mode loads claude.ai with your own login, so your Pro or Max plan works as usual.
- BYOK mode uses your Anthropic API key. Keys are encrypted with Windows DPAPI and requests go straight from your PC to Anthropic.
- The provider dropdown also switches to OpenAI, Gemini, GitHub Copilot, Azure OpenAI or a local model, so you can check Claude's answer against another model without leaving the overlay.
- Voice input with Alt + V, including an offline Whisper engine.
It doesn't do MCP, Claude Code or Cowork. Keep the Claude app for those. Pricing is $9 a month or $49 once, on the pricing page.
FAQ
Is there a Claude desktop app for Windows?
Yes. Anthropic offers Claude desktop for Windows 10 and 11 in x64 and ARM64 builds, from claude.com/download or the Microsoft Store. It installs as an MSIX package and works on the Free plan.
Does Claude desktop work on Windows ARM laptops?
Yes. The download page has a separate "Windows (arm64)" build for Snapdragon PCs, and Anthropic publishes arm64 MSIX packages for IT deployment.
What is the Claude desktop quick entry shortcut on Windows?
Ctrl+Alt+Space by default on current Windows builds. Change it under Settings, then System, then Quick Entry keyboard shortcut. Anthropic's help center still describes quick entry as Mac-only, so the setting may move between versions.
Why can't I use Cowork in Claude desktop on Windows?
Cowork needs a paid plan, an install with administrator rights and the Windows Virtual Machine Platform feature turned on. VMs and VDI without nested virtualization aren't supported.
Does Claude desktop work offline?
No. Chat runs on Anthropic's servers, so the app needs an internet connection. Local Cowork sessions keep their files on your PC, but the model itself still runs in the cloud.
Is Claude desktop different from Claude Code?
Claude desktop is the chat app. Claude Code is Anthropic's coding agent, which runs in a terminal and also inside the desktop app on paid plans. You can use either one alone.