How to Install Claude Code: Mac, Windows, VS Code (2026)

Short answer first: to install Claude Code you run exactly one command. On a Mac or Linux it's curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash, on Windows PowerShell it's irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex — and that's the entire 'Claude Code download', no installer wizard, no setup.exe. I install this thing on other people's laptops several times a week (occupational hazard of teaching non-programmers to build software), so below is the exact route I use, including every place where beginners get stuck.

If the word 'terminal' already makes you nervous: it's just a window where you type commands instead of clicking buttons. On a Mac it's the Terminal app (find it via Spotlight), on Windows it's PowerShell (search the Start menu). You'll need it for about ninety seconds, and then Claude does the typing for you forever after.

What do you need before installing?

Three things. First, a computer made in the last decade: macOS 13 or newer, Windows 10 (1809) or newer, or Ubuntu 20.04+/Debian 10+, with at least 4 GB of RAM. Second, an internet connection. Third — and this surprises people — an account: Claude Code works with a Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise or Console account. The free claude.ai plan does not include Claude Code, so have a subscription ready before you start (Pro is the usual entry point).

How do I install the Claude Code CLI on Mac or Linux?

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

Prefer Homebrew? brew install --cask claude-code works too — just know that Homebrew installs don't auto-update, so you'll occasionally need to run brew upgrade claude-code yourself. The same curl command covers Ubuntu and any Linux, which is also how you'd set it up on a cheap server later.

How do I install Claude Code on Windows?

Windows has two different command windows, and using the wrong command in the wrong one is the number one beginner trap. Look at your prompt: if it starts with PS C:\ you're in PowerShell; if it's just C:\ you're in plain CMD.

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

Alternative: winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode if you like Windows' built-in package manager. One genuinely useful extra on Windows is Git for Windows — it's optional, but the docs recommend it so Claude Code can use the Bash tool for running commands. If you work inside WSL (Linux on Windows), run the Mac/Linux command inside your WSL terminal instead.

How do I get Claude Code in VS Code or another editor?

If you already live in VS Code, there's an official extension: open the Extensions panel (Cmd+Shift+X on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+X on Windows), search for 'Claude Code', install, then open the Command Palette and pick 'Open in New Tab'. The same extension installs into Cursor. JetBrains people (PyCharm, WebStorm, IntelliJ) get a plugin from the JetBrains Marketplace. And if you want no terminal and no editor at all, there's a Claude Code desktop app for Mac and Windows, plus a browser version at claude.ai/code — same engine, friendlier face.

How do I check the install worked?

$ claude --version
2.1.x (latest)

$ claude doctor
checking installation, updates, settings… all good

Fix: 'command not found: claude'

If claude --version answers with a number, you're done. If instead you get 'command not found: claude' — don't reinstall five times like my students do. It almost always means the install folder isn't on your PATH (the list of places your terminal looks for programs). On a Mac, run: echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc, then close and reopen the terminal. On Windows, simply restarting the terminal usually fixes it.

That's the whole ceremony. The honest secret of this guide is that installing Claude Code is the hardest part of using Claude Code — after this, you stop typing commands and start typing wishes. Go make the button.