How to Install and Run Claude Code on Windows 11/10 (Complete Guide 2026)

Claude Code is Anthropic’s AI coding agent that runs directly in your terminal. It reads your codebase, writes code, fixes bugs, and runs commands, all through plain English. If you want to install Claude Code on Windows, the process takes less than five minutes using the native installer. No Node.js required. No WSL required either, unless you want it.

What You Need Before You Start

Get these ready before running any commands.

Account Requirement

Claude Code is not free. You need one of the following:

Plan	Cost	Best For
Claude Pro	$20/month	Occasional use, getting started
Claude Max	$100-$200/month	Heavy daily development
Anthropic Console (API key)	Pay per token	Teams, CI/CD pipelines

The free Claude.ai plan does not include Claude Code access.

System Requirements

• Windows 10 (version 1903 or later) or Windows 11
• PowerShell 5.1 or higher (already built into Windows)
• Internet connection
• 500 MB free disk space
• 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended for larger projects)

Git for Windows (Required)

This is the one real prerequisite. Claude Code uses Git Bash internally, even when you launch it from PowerShell or CMD. Without Git, the install either fails or breaks silently.

Download Git for Windows from git-scm.com. Use the default settings during installation. Make sure the option “Add Git to PATH” stays checked. It is checked by default.

How to Install Claude Code on Windows: 3 Methods

Method 1: Native Installer (Recommended)

This is the official method from Anthropic. It is faster than npm, auto-updates in the background, and requires no extra dependencies.

Step 1. Open PowerShell. Press Win + X and select “Terminal” or “Windows PowerShell.” You do not need administrator rights.

Step 2. Run this command:

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Or use the native installer script:

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

Step 3. Wait for the installer to finish. It downloads the Claude Code binary and places it in C:\Users\YourName\.local\bin.

Step 4. Close the terminal completely. Open a new one. This is important. PATH changes only apply in a new session.

Step 5. Verify the installation:

claude --version

You should see a version number printed. If you see an error, jump to the troubleshooting section below.

Step 6. Run claude for the first time. A browser window opens automatically for authentication. Sign in with your Claude Pro or Max account. Your session token saves locally so you do not need to log in again.

Method 2: WinGet (Windows Package Manager)

WinGet is built into Windows 11 and Windows 10 (version 22H2 and later). If it is not available, install “App Installer” from the Microsoft Store.

Open PowerShell and run:

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

The difference with this method: WinGet does not auto-update Claude Code in the background. You need to run winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode manually when a new version is out.

Method 3: WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

If you develop primarily on Linux tools, WSL is a solid option. WSL 2 also supports sandboxing for enhanced security, which the native Windows install does not.

Step 1. Open PowerShell as Administrator and install WSL:

wsl --install

This installs WSL and Ubuntu by default. Reboot when prompted.

Step 2. Open Ubuntu from the Start menu and finish the Linux user setup.

Step 3. Inside the Ubuntu terminal, run the native install script:

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

Step 4. Reload your shell:

source ~/.bashrc

Step 5. Verify:

claude --version

Step 6. Run claude and authenticate via the browser.

Performance tip: Store your projects inside the Linux filesystem (~/projects/) rather than on mounted Windows drives (/mnt/c/). File operations are noticeably faster that way.

Which Method Should You Use?

Situation	Best Method
Quick setup, just getting started	Native installer (Method 1)
You manage tools via package managers	WinGet (Method 2)
You work heavily in Linux environments	WSL (Method 3)
You need CI/CD or sandboxing	WSL 2

First-Time Setup After Installation

Once installed, a few quick steps get you fully ready.

Authenticate Your Account

Run claude in any terminal. A browser opens. Sign in with your Anthropic account. Your token saves to ~\.claude\session.json. You will not need to log in every session.

For API key authentication (useful in CI/CD or headless environments):

$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY = "your-api-key-here"
claude

Check Your Installation Health

Run:

claude doctor

This shows your installed version, checks your PATH, and flags common configuration issues. Run this before troubleshooting anything manually.

Run Claude Code in Your Project

Navigate to a project folder and start Claude:

cd C:\Users\YourName\projects\my-app
claude

Type a natural language instruction like “explain the structure of this project” or “fix the bug in auth.js.” Claude reads your files and responds.

Troubleshooting Common Windows Issues

“claude is not recognized as a cmdlet”

This is a PATH issue. The installer placed the binary in ~\.local\bin but your terminal session does not know about it yet.

Fix 1: Close the terminal and open a new one. This solves it 90% of the time.

Fix 2: If it still fails, add the path manually.

Run this in PowerShell:

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", "$env:PATH;$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin", [EnvironmentVariableTarget]::User)

Close and reopen the terminal. Try claude --version again.

Fix 3: If ~\.local\bin is missing entirely, add it via the GUI:

• Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, press Enter
• Go to the Advanced tab
• Click Environment Variables
• Find PATH under your user variables
• Click Edit, then New
• Add: C:\Users\YourName\.local\bin
• Click OK and restart the terminal

Git Bash Not Found

If Claude Code cannot find your Git Bash installation, set the path manually in your settings file.

Locate or create ~\.claude\settings.json and add:

{
  "gitBashPath": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe"
}

Adjust the path if you installed Git to a different location.

WSL Not Installing

If wsl --install returns a restricted execution policy error, run this first:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Then try the WSL install again.

Image Paste Not Working

On Windows, pasting an image from your clipboard uses Alt+V, not Ctrl+V. This is a known Windows-specific difference from macOS behavior.

Updating Claude Code

Native Installer

Updates happen automatically in the background. Claude Code checks for updates on startup and applies them silently. You do not need to do anything.

WinGet

Manual update required:

winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode

WSL / Native Linux Install

The native installer auto-updates the same way as on Windows. If you used npm historically, migrate away from it. The npm method is officially deprecated by Anthropic. Here is how to migrate:

# Install the native binary
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

# Remove the old npm version
npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Your settings in ~/.claude/ are preserved during migration.

Basic Claude Code Commands to Know

Once you are up and running, these are the commands you will use most:

Command	What It Does
claude	Start an interactive session in the current directory
claude doctor	Check installation health and config
claude --version	Print the installed version
claude --help	Show all available options
claude -p "your prompt"	Run a one-shot command without interactive mode

Inside a session, just type what you want in plain English:

• “Write unit tests for the functions in utils.js”
• “Find all places where this function is called and refactor them”
• “Explain what this class does”
• “Fix the TypeScript errors in this file”

Using Claude Code With VS Code on Windows

Claude Code works well alongside VS Code even though it lives in the terminal.

Option 1 (Native): Open VS Code’s integrated terminal (Ctrl+``) and run claude` from there. This works out of the box.

Option 2 (WSL): If you installed Claude Code inside WSL, open WSL from VS Code using the Remote WSL extension. Then run claude from the WSL terminal inside VS Code. Type code . inside WSL to open the current folder in VS Code automatically.

You can also check Anthropic’s official documentation for up-to-date IDE integration guides as the tooling continues to evolve in 2026.

Summary

Here is the short version:

1. Install Git for Windows from git-scm.com
2. Open PowerShell (no admin needed)
3. Run winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode or the native install script
4. Close and reopen the terminal
5. Run claude and authenticate with your Pro or Max account
6. Navigate to a project folder and start coding

The native installer is the right choice for most people. WSL is better if you need sandboxing or work heavily in Linux environments. Either way, Claude Code on Windows is stable, well-supported, and actively updated in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Claude Code work on Windows without WSL?

Yes. Since 2025, Claude Code runs natively on Windows 10 and Windows 11 without WSL. You only need Git for Windows installed. WSL is still an option and adds some security features (sandboxing in WSL 2), but it is not required.

Do I need Node.js to install Claude Code on Windows?

No. The native installer does not require Node.js. An older npm-based method did require Node.js 18+, but that method is now deprecated. Stick with the native installer and skip the Node.js setup entirely.

Why is the claude command not recognized after installation?

The most common cause is a stale terminal session. Close the terminal completely and open a new one. If that does not fix it, the ~\.local\bin folder is likely not in your PATH. Add it using the Environment Variables settings in Windows, or run the PowerShell command shown in the troubleshooting section above.

Can I use Claude Code for free on Windows?

No. Claude Code requires a paid Claude Pro subscription ($20/month minimum), a Claude Max plan, or an Anthropic Console account with API billing enabled. The free Claude.ai plan does not include access to Claude Code.

How do I update Claude Code on Windows?

If you used the native installer, updates happen automatically in the background. No action needed. If you installed via WinGet, run winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode in PowerShell to get the latest version.