The Claude Desktop installers live at claude.com/download: builds for macOS and Windows (x64 and ARM64), plus a Linux beta. MCP servers are registered in the claude_desktop_config.json file, which the Edit Config button on the Developer tab opens. What follows, step by step: installation, the config, Gateway mode for people without an Anthropic account, and a troubleshooting table.
What Claude Desktop is and what is inside
Claude Desktop is Anthropic's official desktop app. Inside are chat, Cowork and a Code tab, which is Claude Code with a graphical interface. The app shares its limits with the website and the terminal; details are in the article Claude limits. Chat on the desktop is available on the free plan too, while the Code tab, according to the Claude Code documentation, needs a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise subscription. What Cowork is gets its own article, Claude Cowork.
Where to download Claude Desktop and what you need
Trust one source only: claude.com/download (the claude.ai/download link leads there too). Windows also has the Microsoft Store. We do not cover "Claude Desktop crack" or "portable" builds or anything from torrents: a swapped installer gives an attacker access to your files and keys.
| System | Requirements | Where to install from |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | macOS 13 (Ventura) or newer, Intel and Apple Silicon | claude.com/download |
| Windows x64 | Windows 10 or newer | claude.com/download or Microsoft Store |
| Windows ARM64 | Windows 10 or newer | claude.com/download |
| Linux (beta) | Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+, x86_64 or arm64 | Anthropic's apt repository |
The macOS and Windows requirements come from Anthropic's help pages. There is no desktop version for Fedora or Arch; use the CLI there. Computer Use and dictation do not work on Linux yet.
On Linux the app installs from Anthropic's repository, as described in the documentation:
sudo curl -fsSLo /usr/share/keyrings/claude-desktop-archive-keyring.asc https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/key.asc
echo "deb [arch=amd64,arm64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/claude-desktop-archive-keyring.asc] https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-desktop/apt/stable stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/claude-desktop.list
sudo apt update && sudo apt install claude-desktop
Before installing, check the key with gpg --show-keys /usr/share/keyrings/claude-desktop-archive-keyring.asc: the fingerprint must match 31DDDE24DDFAB679F42D7BD2BAA929FF1A7ECACE. The app does not update itself on Linux; updates arrive through sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade.
How to install Claude Desktop on Windows and Mac
- Download the installer for your system and open it.
- Wait for the installation to finish and start Claude: from the Applications folder on a Mac, from the Start menu on Windows.
- Sign in to your Anthropic account.
The third step runs into geography. Russia is not on Anthropic's list of supported countries, and Anthropic's policy forbids using the service to anyone physically located in an unsupported region. We do not recommend working around this with false data; what is known about VPN-related blocks is in VPN for Claude and account bans. The alternative is below: Gateway mode, where no account sign-in is needed at all.
How to connect an MCP server to Claude Desktop
An MCP server is a program that gives Claude access to files, databases or APIs. Most servers need Node.js: install the LTS version from the official Node.js site.
Open the Claude menu in the menu bar (not the settings inside the window), choose Settings, then the Developer tab, and click Edit Config. The app opens the claude_desktop_config.json file. Where it lives is stated in the official MCP instructions:
- macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json - Windows:
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json - Linux: the instructions give no path, so open the file with the Edit Config button.
An example for macOS with a filesystem server allowed into two folders:
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
"/Users/username/Desktop",
"/Users/username/Downloads"
]
}
}
}
Replace username with your own user name. On Windows, paths are written with double backslashes: C:\\Users\\username\\Desktop. Paths must be absolute; relative ones will not work.
Save the file, quit Claude Desktop completely and start it again: closing one window is not enough. After the restart the server shows up in the connectors list: the "Add files, connectors, and more" button in the input box, then Connectors. If the server is missing, look at the logs: ~/Library/Logs/Claude on macOS, %APPDATA%\Claude\logs on Windows. The mcp.log file describes connections, and mcp-server-NAME.log holds the output of one particular server.
A server runs with your user's rights and can do everything you can. Open only the folders you are ready to show the model. How such servers are built and written is covered in MCP servers for Claude and What is an MCP server.
How to check the server, and three safety rules
After the restart, ask Claude to list the files in one of the allowed folders. The first time a tool is called, the app asks you to confirm. After that, keep three rules in mind.
- Take servers from sources you trust: an npm package runs with your user's rights.
- Start with narrow access. One working folder is better than your whole home directory.
- Do not write passwords and tokens into
args: pass them through theenvkey and keep the config out of repositories.
What to pick: Desktop, the website or Claude Code in the terminal
The choice depends on the task. Chat on the website and in the app offers one set of features. Desktop adds local MCP servers, meaning access to your files and programs, and a Code tab with visual review of edits. Terminal Claude Code suits people who live in the console and run the agent from scripts and CI. Is a chat with access to a few folders enough? Install Desktop. Need an agent that runs tests and commits on its own? Start with Claude Code: MCP is connected there with the claude mcp add command.
Claude Desktop through codexkey: Gateway mode
Claude Desktop has a third-party inference mode (3P): the app sends requests not to Anthropic but to a gateway you specify. According to Anthropic's documentation, the gateway must accept POST /v1/messages with streaming and tool calling, and a model list through GET /v1/models is optional. codexkey fits that description, but for Anthropic it is a third-party product that it neither tests nor recommends.
Setup following our guide takes five steps, and no sign-in is needed:
- Install the app and open the app's main menu (the three-line icon), then Help, Troubleshooting, Enable Developer Mode.
- In the Developer menu that appears, choose
Configure Third-Party Inference…. - In the connection section choose
Gatewayand fill in the fields from the table below. Leave the Gateway SSO IdP (OIDC) section empty. - Open the Models section and turn on Model discovery: the list loads from
https://api.codexkey.online/v1/models. The Test model discovery button checks the connection right away. - Click
Apply Changes. The app restarts, and if it shows the sign-in screen again, clickOr sign in with Gateway.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Credential kind | Static API key |
| Gateway base URL | https://api.codexkey.online (without /v1) |
| Gateway API key | sk_cdx_YOUR_KEY |
| Gateway auth scheme | x-api-key |
A few caveats in advance. Anthropic's documentation calls 3P mode a solution for organizations, and even in it the app contacts Anthropic hosts for service data: the workspace bundle, the Claude CLI binary, updates and the model catalog. We cannot guarantee that those hosts will be reachable from your network. Local MCP servers in this mode are added through Settings, Developer, while remote connectors cannot be added by the user. A Code session picks up servers from Claude Code's own configuration: claude mcp add and .mcp.json work as usual.
codexkey remains API access: it does not sell Claude subscriptions or the claude.ai web chat. You create a key in your dashboard and top up the balance with a Russian card, through SBP (the Russian Faster Payments System) or with crypto. Which models to pick and what they cost is on the models page (codexkey price list as of 29 October 2026).
Typical errors and how to fix them
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The model list is empty | An extra /v1 in the address, or a wrong key | Remove /v1, check the key, click Test model discovery |
| Error 401 | The key does not start with sk_cdx_, or it is disabled | Check the key in the API keys section |
| Gateway was unreachable | The app could not reach the address at startup | Check the address and the network, for example with curl against /v1/models |
| The MCP server did not appear | A JSON syntax error, a relative path, the app not restarted | Check commas and quotes, use absolute paths, quit the app completely |
${APPDATA} in the logs on Windows | The server did not expand the environment variable | Put the expanded %APPDATA% value into the server's env key |
npx not found | Node.js is not installed | Install the LTS version and restart the app |
FAQ
Where do I download Claude Desktop?
Only from the official page claude.com/download, or from the Microsoft Store on Windows. It has installers for macOS and for Windows x64 and ARM64, and for Linux the link leads to the documentation on installing from Anthropic's apt repository.
Is there a Claude Desktop for Linux?
Yes, as a beta for Ubuntu 22.04 and newer and Debian 12 and newer, on x86_64 and arm64. There is no desktop app for Fedora or Arch; you can install Claude Code from the terminal there.
Where is claude_desktop_config.json?
On macOS in ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json, on Windows in %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. The easiest way is to open the file with the Edit Config button on the Developer tab: you do not have to remember the path.
Does Claude Desktop work in Russia?
Anthropic does not support Russia, so signing in and paying for a subscription are officially impossible. You can switch the app to Gateway mode and route requests through codexkey, and then no Anthropic sign-in is needed. Whether Anthropic's service hosts are reachable depends on your network.
What are the Claude Desktop requirements for Windows?
Windows 10 or newer, with builds for x64 and ARM64. The installer is at claude.com/download, and the app is in the Microsoft Store too.
Do I need a subscription for Claude Desktop?
Chat in the desktop app is included in the free plan. The Code tab needs a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise subscription; plan prices are collected in Claude subscription prices. In Gateway mode no subscription is needed: you pay the gateway for tokens.