Claude is an AI assistant made by Anthropic. The Claude desktop app for macOS and Windows gives you Claude in its own window, with support for Projects, file uploads, and connections to local tools through the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
This guide covers installation, sign-in, the settings worth changing, and an optional first step into MCP.
What you need
- A computer running a supported version of macOS or Windows (see the download page for current versions)
- Permission to install applications on your computer
- A Claude account. The free plan works; paid plans add higher limits and features
Step-by-step
- 1
Download the official app
Go to claude.ai/download and choose the version for your operating system. Only download Claude from Anthropic's official site.
- 2
Install it
On macOS, open the downloaded file and drag Claude into your Applications folder. On Windows, run the installer and follow the prompts.
- 3
Sign in
Open Claude and sign in with your account. The app may open your browser to complete sign-in; approve it, and you will be returned to the app.
- 4
Set your preferences
Open Settings and review your profile, including what Claude should know about you and how it should respond. You can also choose a response style.
- 5
Create a Project
Projects keep related chats, files, and instructions together. Create a Project, add project instructions (for example, "You help me write client proposals in a friendly, concise tone"), and upload reference files if useful.
- 6
Optional: connect a local tool with MCP
In Settings, open the Developer section and choose Edit Config. This opens the claude_desktop_config.json file where MCP servers are configured. Follow the instructions of the specific MCP server you want to add, save the file, and fully restart Claude.
Only add MCP servers from sources you trust, and limit file access to the folders you actually need. An invalid config file will stop servers from loading.
- 7
Test it
Start a chat inside your Project and confirm Claude follows your instructions. Then upload a PDF and ask for a summary.
Common errors
Sign-in loops back to the login screen
Make sure your default browser can open the sign-in page, then try again. Quitting and reopening the app after signing in usually resolves it.
Windows warns about the installer
Confirm you downloaded the file from claude.ai/download. If the publisher shown is Anthropic, you can continue.
MCP tools do not appear
Check that the config file is valid JSON (no trailing commas), the server's required runtime (such as Node.js) is installed, and that you fully quit and reopened Claude.
Tips
- Use Projects for recurring work so you do not repeat context every time.
- Review your data and privacy settings in Settings.
- Do not paste passwords or API keys into chats.
Official resources
FAQ
AI Setup Studio is an independent technical services company. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, GitHub, Cursor, Ollama, n8n, Make, or any other AI tool vendor unless expressly stated. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to describe compatibility.