How to Install Claude Code on Windows (Beginner’s Guide)
A step-by-step guide to installing Claude Code through the Claude desktop app on Windows — the plan you need, the download error you might hit, and the Git setup step — written for non-technical people.
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You don’t have to be a developer to use Claude Code. I’m not technical, and I recently used it to build a small app that writes product descriptions in bulk for an e-commerce website.
The hard part is getting it installed. The setup isn’t complicated, but it doesn’t always go smoothly, and the error messages aren’t written for beginners. This guide covers the whole install on Windows, including the two places I got stuck and how I got past them.
What you need before you start
- A paid Claude plan. Claude Code isn’t available on the free plan. The Pro plan is around $20 a month and is the one to start with if you’re testing the waters. The Max plan costs several times more and is for heavier use. You can upgrade later if you need to.
- A Windows computer. These steps were recorded on Windows. One step in particular (installing Git) is Windows-specific.
- About 15 minutes.
To upgrade, open Claude, click your profile icon in the bottom-left corner and choose Upgrade plan.
Step 1: Download the Claude desktop app
There are a few ways to install Claude Code, including some that run in a terminal window. If you’re a beginner, use the Claude desktop app: it’s the same app you’d use for chatting with Claude, and Claude Code is built into it.
In Claude, click the apps and extensions button. You’ll see the different ways to install Claude Code. Choose the desktop app.
If the download link doesn’t work
This is where I got stuck. Clicking the download link gave me this error every time:
Your PC doesn’t have an app to open this link.
The fix was to download it from a different page. Claude’s documentation site has a Getting started page with its own download link, and that one worked straight away.
This seems to be hit and miss. On another laptop the normal link worked first time. If you see that error, don’t keep clicking. Go to the documentation link instead.
Step 2: Install the app and sign in
Run the installer you downloaded. When it finishes, the app asks you to sign in. Use the same Claude account that has your Pro plan.
You now have Claude desktop, and you’ll see the chat screen you’re probably used to. Claude Code isn’t quite ready yet, though.
Step 3: Switch to Code and install Git for Windows
At the top of the app, click Code. The first time you do this, Claude asks you to install Git for Windows.
Git is a free tool that tracks changes to files. Claude Code needs it to work on Windows. You don’t need to learn how to use it, because Claude handles it in the background.
Follow the on-screen instructions and install it with the recommended settings. The installer shows a lot of screens, but you can accept the default on every one. If you’re technical, you can change the options, but you don’t need to.
Step 4: Restart the app
Once Git is installed, close the Claude desktop app completely and open it again. Claude Code only finds Git after a restart, so don’t skip this.
When you click Code again, you can start building things with Claude Code.
Quick troubleshooting
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| “Your PC doesn’t have an app to open this link” | Download the app from the Getting started page in Claude’s documentation instead |
| You can’t find Claude Code, or it asks you to upgrade | Claude Code needs a paid plan — upgrade to Pro from the profile icon |
| Claude Code still asks for Git after installing it | Close the desktop app fully and reopen it |
What can you build with it?
Once it’s set up, you describe what you want in plain English and Claude Code builds it. You don’t have to write code yourself. My first project was the product description generator I mentioned at the start.
Next, I’m building a local video editor with Claude Code and Remotion. Adding audio to motion graphics is harder than it should be, so the plan is an editor with motions and transitions that come with sounds built in. I’ll show how that goes in a future video.
If you haven’t used the desktop app much yet, my beginner’s tour of the Claude desktop app shows where everything is, including Chat, Cowork and Code.
FAQ
Do I need to know how to code to use Claude Code?
No. You tell it what you want in plain English. Knowing some code helps you understand what it’s doing, but you don’t need it to get started.
Is Claude Code free?
No. It needs a paid Claude plan. Pro is the cheapest plan that includes it.
Do I have to use the terminal?
No. The desktop app gives you Claude Code without opening a terminal. The only extra thing you install is Git, and that has a normal installer.
If this helped, subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss the video editor build.