How to download and install Claude on Mac
Claude Desktop is Anthropic’s app for Mac: chats with Claude, plus Claude Code and Cowork on paid plans. It comes from Anthropic’s website as one installer for every Mac. Here is how to install it and what to set up after the first launch.
Claude
- macOS 13 or later
- One file for Apple Silicon and Intel
- Free. Claude Code and Cowork need a paid plan
Or the installer straight from the developer’s server:
The links go to the developer’s website (claude.com, claude.ai). MacWashing is not affiliated with the developer and keeps no installers.
Open Terminal (Applications › Utilities) and run:
brew install --cask claudeHomebrew downloads the app from the developer’s server, checks the file and puts the app in Applications.
No Homebrew yet? How to install Homebrew: one command from brew.sh.
Before you download
Claude Desktop has one installer that runs natively on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, so there is no version to choose. You need a Claude account: the free plan is enough for chats.
Claude Desktop needs macOS 13 Ventura or later. Download it only from Anthropic: claude.com or claude.ai. A «Claude» app from other sites may not be Anthropic’s.
How to install Claude
- Open the downloaded
Claude.dmgin your Downloads folder. - In the window that opens, drag Claude to the Applications folder.
- Eject the Claude disk: click the eject button next to it in the Finder sidebar.
- Open Claude from Applications and click Open when macOS asks about an app downloaded from the internet.
- Sign in with your Claude account.
What to set up after the first launch
- Permissions. macOS asks for each one the first time a feature needs it, for example the microphone for dictation. Allow only what you use. You can change them later in System Settings › Privacy & Security.
- Extensions. Desktop extensions connect Claude to apps and files on your Mac. Browse them in Settings › Extensions inside Claude.
- Cowork. On paid plans, Cowork runs tasks in a virtual machine on your Mac and works only with the folders you connect.
- The installer. Move
Claude.dmgfrom Downloads to the Trash once Claude runs: it takes several hundred megabytes.
If Claude won’t install or open
- «Claude is damaged and can’t be opened». The download was incomplete. Delete it and download it again from Anthropic’s website.
- Claude doesn’t start on an older Mac. Check your macOS version in About This Mac: the app needs macOS 13 or later. On older systems, use Claude in the browser at
claude.ai. - An old copy gets in the way. Remove Claude completely and install it again: see how to uninstall Claude on Mac.
Alternatives to Claude
Keep your Mac tidy
System Junk in MacWashing finds the caches apps build up over time, Claude’s included, and shows how much space they take. And if you decide to remove Claude, the Uninstaller takes its files with it.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Is the Claude app for Mac free?
Yes. The app works on every plan, Free included. Claude Code and Cowork in the app need a paid plan: Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise.
Do I need an account to use Claude on Mac?
Yes. Sign in with the same Claude account you use on the web or your phone: your conversations, projects and settings sync across them.
Can I use Claude Code in the desktop app?
Yes, on paid plans. Claude Code runs right in the app, so you can work with code on your Mac without opening Terminal.