How to Install Claude Code on Mac, Windows and Linux

To install Claude Code, open a terminal and run curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash on macOS, Linux or WSL, or irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex in Windows PowerShell. Then open a new terminal, check the install with claude --version and start it with claude. Installing costs nothing, but using Claude Code requires a paid Claude plan or a Claude Console account.

Which install method should you use?

Anthropic recommends the native installer for most people. These are the options:

What you need before you start

• Operating system: macOS 13.0 or later, Windows 10 1809 or later, Windows Server 2019 or later, Ubuntu 20.04 or later, Debian 10 or later, or Alpine Linux 3.19 or later.
• Hardware: at least 4 GB of RAM and an x64 or ARM64 processor.
• Connection and location: an internet connection, in a country Anthropic supports.
• Account: Claude Pro, Max, Ultra, Team or Enterprise, or a Claude Console account. The Free plan does not include Claude Code. See our Claude pricing guide for current prices.

You do not need Node.js for the native installer.

How to install Claude Code on Mac

1. Open Terminal: press Cmd + Space, type Terminal and press Return.
2. Paste this command and press Enter. It shows no progress while it downloads.

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

3. When it finishes, open a new Terminal window and check the install. A working install prints a version number followed by (Claude Code).

claude --version

4. Go to your project folder and start Claude Code. Replace the path with your own.

cd /path/to/your/project
claude

If you see zsh: command not found: claude, jump to the PATH fix.

Brew install Claude Code

Homebrew offers two casks. claude-code follows the stable channel, which is typically about a week behind, and claude-code@latest receives each new version as soon as it ships.

brew install --cask claude-code

Homebrew installs do not update themselves by default, so run brew upgrade claude-code from time to time, or brew upgrade claude-code@latest if you chose that cask.

How to install Claude Code on Windows

First check which shell you are in. PowerShell shows PS C:\ at the start of the line, and CMD shows C:\ without the PS. You do not need to run as Administrator.

In PowerShell:

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

In CMD:

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

With WinGet: this method does not update itself by default, so run winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode from time to time.

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Then open a new terminal and run claude --version, followed by claude in your project folder.

Two error messages mean you used the wrong command for your shell. 'irm' is not recognized means you are in CMD, and The token '&&' is not a valid statement separator means you are in PowerShell.

Do you need Git for Windows?

No, but Anthropic recommends it. With Git for Windows, Claude Code uses Git Bash for its Bash tool. Without it, Claude Code runs shell commands through PowerShell.

Native Windows or WSL?

You can run Claude Code on Windows itself or inside WSL. Choose by where your projects live. For WSL, open your distribution and run the Linux command inside the WSL terminal, not in PowerShell or CMD.

Use WSL 2 if you can. Only WSL 2 supports Claude Code’s sandboxing, and on WSL 1 Anthropic documents a known problem that shows up as cannot execute binary file: Exec format error. To convert a distribution, run wsl --set-version <DistroName> 2 in PowerShell.

How to install Claude Code on Linux and Ubuntu

Ubuntu, Debian and other Linux systems use the same command as the Mac. Do not put sudo in front of it. The script stops with an error if it is run through sudo from a normal user account, because Claude Code installs into your home directory.

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

• Minimal systems: a fresh Debian or Ubuntu install may not include curl, so install it first if the command is missing.
• Small servers: if the install ends with Killed, the system probably ran out of memory. The install step needs roughly 512 MB free, so free up memory or add swap space and run it again.
• Alpine and other musl-based systems: install the required packages first with apk add bash curl libgcc libstdc++ ripgrep, then set USE_BUILTIN_RIPGREP to 0 in your settings.
• Package managers: Anthropic publishes signed apt, dnf and apk repositories. The setup steps differ by system, so follow Anthropic’s instructions.

npm install Claude Code

The npm package installs the same native binary as the standalone installer. Anthropic specifies Node.js 22 or later, although on an older version npm only prints an EBADENGINE warning and the install completes. Do not use sudo, which can cause permission and security problems and stops automatic updates from working.

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

To upgrade, run the same command with @latest at the end of the package name. If npm --version starts with 12, follow Anthropic’s npm 12 fix instead.

Install Claude Code in VS Code, JetBrains or the desktop app

• Desktop app: Anthropic offers a desktop app that lets you use Claude Code through a graphical interface, without a terminal.
• VS Code: you need version 1.94.0 or later. Search for “Claude Code” in the Extensions view and install it. The extension carries its own private copy of the program and does not add claude to your PATH, so typing claude in a terminal still needs a separate install.
• Cursor: the same extension installs there. See Claude Code vs Cursor for how the two work together.
• JetBrains IDEs: install the command-line tool first, then the Claude Code plugin from the JetBrains Marketplace. The plugin runs claude in the IDE’s terminal and does not include its own copy.

How to sign in

Claude Code asks you to log in the first time you run claude. Follow the prompts, which finish in your browser. You can use a Claude subscription or a Claude Console account with prepaid API credits. Claude Code also works through Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud’s Agent Platform and Microsoft Foundry. Your credentials are then stored, and you can switch accounts later with /login.

Check for an API key first. If the ANTHROPIC_API_KEY environment variable is set and you approve it, Claude Code skips the login and bills the API instead of your subscription. An old key can also cause API Error: 400 ... This organization has been disabled. On Mac and Linux, run unset ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and remove any matching export line from your shell’s config file. Inside Claude Code, /status shows which sign-in method is active.

Fix “command not found: claude”

This is a common error after installing. It usually means the install worked but its folder is not on your PATH. The wording depends on your system:

• macOS: zsh: command not found: claude
• Linux: bash: claude: command not found
• Windows CMD: 'claude' is not recognized as an internal or external command
• PowerShell: The term 'claude' is not recognized

First open a new terminal, because a window that was already open keeps its old PATH. If the error stays, follow these steps.

On Mac and Linux

Check that the program exists. If this reports No such file or directory, the native install did not finish, or you installed another way.

ls -la ~/.local/bin/claude

Next, check whether its folder is already on your PATH. If this prints the folder, skip the next step and look for a second install.

echo $PATH | tr ':' '\n' | grep -Fx "$HOME/.local/bin"

If it prints nothing, add the folder to your PATH. For Zsh, the default on macOS:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

For Bash on Linux, use ~/.bashrc in both lines. For Bash on macOS, use ~/.bash_profile.

On Windows PowerShell

Check that the program exists. False means there is no native install.

Test-Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\claude.exe"

Next, check whether its folder is already on your PATH:

$env:PATH -split ';' | Select-String '\.local\\bin'

If there is no output, add the folder to your user PATH and restart the terminal:

$currentPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', 'User')
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', "$currentPath;$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin", 'User')

A terminal inside an editor takes its PATH from the editor, so quit and reopen the editor as well.

On Windows CMD

Check that the program exists:

dir "%USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\claude.exe"

If it does, open System Settings, go to Environment Variables, add %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin to your User PATH variable and restart the terminal.

Other install errors

If claude runs an old version, you may have a second install. which -a claude on Mac or Linux lists every copy on your PATH. Anthropic’s install troubleshooting page lists many more errors with fixes, and claude doctor prints a read-only check of your install.

What the install script actually does

Piping a script from the internet into Bash deserves a look. We read the current macOS and Linux script on November 1, 2026. Scripts can change, so this describes that version:

1. It stops if it is run through sudo from a normal user account.
2. It detects your system and processor, including Apple Silicon under Rosetta and musl-based Linux.
3. It asks downloads.claude.ai for the latest version and a manifest with checksums.
4. It downloads the program to ~/.claude/downloads and stops if the SHA-256 checksum does not match.
5. It runs the downloaded program’s own install command to set up the launcher and shell integration, then deletes the download.

Because step 5 hands over to the downloaded program, reading the script does not show everything that the install changes. To read the script before you run it, download it and open it in a viewer. Press q to leave the viewer.

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh -o install.sh
less install.sh

Then run it:

bash install.sh

Anthropic also signs each release manifest with a GPG key, and it documents how to verify the signature.

Update, change version or uninstall

Update now: native installs update in the background, and you can force it with claude update.

Install the stable channel: it is typically about a week old and skips releases with major regressions. A channel chosen at install time becomes your default for updates. On Mac, Linux and WSL:

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

In Windows PowerShell:

& ([scriptblock]::Create((irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1))) stable

In Windows CMD:

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

Uninstall a native install on Mac, Linux or WSL:

rm -f ~/.local/bin/claude
rm -rf ~/.local/share/claude

Uninstall on Windows PowerShell:

Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\claude.exe" -Force
Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\share\claude" -Recurse -Force

Uninstall other installs: use brew uninstall --cask claude-code (or claude-code@latest), winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode or npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. For apt, dnf and apk, follow Anthropic’s steps.

These commands remove only the program. Deleting ~/.claude and ~/.claude.json also removes your settings, allowed tools, MCP configuration and session history, so only do that if you want a completely clean start. If the VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin or desktop app is still installed, the folder comes back the next time it runs.

Install Claude Code FAQ

Is Claude Code free to install?

Installing is free, but using it is not. Claude Code requires Pro, Max, Ultra, Team, Enterprise or a Console account, and Claude’s Free plan does not include it. Pro costs $20 per month, or $17 with annual billing.

Do I need Node.js to install Claude Code?

Only for the npm method, where Anthropic specifies Node.js 22 or later. The native installer does not use it.

Should I use the native installer or npm?

Anthropic recommends the native installer. Both install the same binary, so npm mainly makes sense if you already manage your tools with it.

Why does the install show nothing while it runs?

Anthropic notes that the install command shows no progress during the download. Give it time before you assume that it has failed.

Can I install a specific version?

Yes. The native installer accepts a version number, stable or latest, in the same position as the stable commands above.

What should I do after installing?

Run claude in a project and ask it to explain the code. Then add a CLAUDE.md with your project’s conventions, and read our guides to Claude Skills and Claude Code workflows.

Sources

• Claude Code docs: Advanced setup
• Claude Code docs: Quickstart
• Claude Code docs: Troubleshoot installation and login
• Claude Code docs: VS Code, JetBrains, Desktop app
• Anthropic’s install script for macOS and Linux
• Claude plans and pricing