Claude Desktop: Download, Features and Usage Limits
Find out how to install Claude Desktop on Windows, Mac and Linux, what Cowork and MCP can do, and how plans, usage limits and privacy work.
Update (9 Nov 2026): Claude Fable 5.2 and Mythos 5.2 are out - prices, access and benchmarks are in my Claude Fable 5.2 guide.
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Claude Desktop is Anthropic’s app for Windows and macOS, with a beta version for Linux. It can do more than claude.ai in your browser: read and write files on your computer, run Claude Code in a separate tab, connect to local apps through MCP, and open from any window using a keyboard shortcut. Installation takes about a minute, but you should understand the usage limits and privacy settings before you add company documents. Here’s what you need to know.
At a glance
The app is free and works with the Free plan, but its most useful features require Pro, which costs $20 per month ($17 per month with annual billing): Cowork for tasks involving files and Claude Code. Usage is measured in five-hour sessions, with an additional weekly limit on paid plans. Cowork uses your allowance faster than regular chat. If you use Claude only for writing and questions, the browser is probably enough. The app makes sense when you want Claude to work on your computer rather than just chat.
How Claude Desktop differs from the browser and Claude Code
The model is the same as on claude.ai, and conversations sync between the app, browser and phone. The difference is what Claude can access. In a browser, it sees only what you paste or upload. In the app, you can grant it access to selected folders on your computer, its built-in browser and, through extensions, other apps.
The app has three tabs. Chat is for regular conversations. Cowork is an agent mode for office work: describe the result you want, such as organizing a folder of invoices and creating a spreadsheet summary, and Claude can carry out multiple steps on its own. Code runs Claude Code in a window instead of a terminal, with file change previews, parallel sessions and pull request monitoring. Claude Code does not require the app; it also works in any terminal. For a comparison with similar tools, see our article on coding agents.
Download and installation
- Download: claude.com/download. The old claude.ai/download address redirects there automatically. Avoid installers from other sites: the app is free, so a “premium version” hosted elsewhere is suspicious.
- Windows: x64 and separate ARM64 installers; Windows 10 or later required.
- macOS: versions for Intel and Apple Silicon; macOS 11 Big Sur or later required.
- Linux: beta for Ubuntu 22.04 and later and Debian 12 and later, also available through an apt repository. Voice dictation and computer control are not available.
- Phone: apps are available in the App Store and Google Play. You can use your phone to assign a task for the computer to carry out with Remote Control.
After installing, sign in with the same account you use for claude.ai. On a Mac, the global shortcut (Quick Entry) is Option pressed twice by default. On Windows, set the shortcut under Settings, General, Desktop app. Voice dictation works on macOS and Windows.
What you can do with the app
- Work with files - in Cowork, Claude can read and write local files and create spreadsheets with formulas and presentations without you having to upload files manually.
- In-app browser - for Cowork tasks, Claude can open websites, extract data and fill out forms.
- Connectors - connect to remote MCP servers using a built-in setup flow. Available services include Google Drive and Slack. The Free plan allows one custom connector.
- Local extensions - install .mcpb packages with one click to give Claude access to your computer’s file system, browser and apps. This is the only way to use local MCP; it is not available in the browser.
- Plugins and scheduled tasks - use the /schedule command to set recurring tasks. Anthropic’s documentation says they run in the cloud and do not require your computer to be on.
- Computer control - an experimental preview that, at the time of checking, was available only on macOS.
Cowork launched on macOS in January 2026. Industry reports said it came to Windows on February 10, 2026, with the same feature set.
Claude Free, Pro and Max usage limits
| Plan | Monthly price | What it includes in the app |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Chat, search, files in conversations and one custom connector; no Cowork or Claude Code |
| Pro | $20 ($17 per month with annual billing) | Cowork, Claude Code, projects, more models and scheduled tasks |
| Max 5x | $100 | Five times more usage than Pro and early access to features |
| Max 20x | $200 | Twenty times more usage than Pro |
| Team | $20 per person per year ($25 per month) | Shared billing, SSO and no training on customer data |
Prices exclude VAT. Anthropic does not publish a message limit. Every plan has a usage limit that resets every five hours, and paid plans also have a weekly limit. You can check your usage under Settings, Usage. Cowork, Claude Code, long files and the Opus model use your allowance faster. If the app stops responding, you can wait for your session to reset, switch to a lighter model or, on Pro and Max, buy additional usage at API rates. See our guide to Claude pricing for a full cost breakdown, or read how to check whether Claude is working.
Privacy: what Anthropic processes
Anything you enter, or anything Claude reads from your files as part of a task, is processed on Anthropic’s servers. The app does not send your entire drive: in Cowork, you choose which folders Claude can access.
Since a change to its consumer terms in September 2025, conversations on Free, Pro and Max plans are used to train models by default, and data is retained for up to five years. Turn this off under Settings, Privacy, using the “Help improve Claude” toggle; the retention period then drops to 30 days. Incognito conversations, marked by a ghost icon, are not used for training regardless of the toggle. Team and Enterprise plans, as well as the API, operate under commercial terms that exclude training on customer data. If you process customer data in the app, those plans - not Pro - are the appropriate choice. This is the editorial team’s assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude Desktop free?
The app is free and works with the Free plan. Cowork and Claude Code are paid features, available with Pro starting at $20 per month.
Does Claude Desktop support Polish?
The model can converse in Polish. The app’s menu language depends on your account language settings; the documentation and some messages are in English.
Does Claude Desktop work on Linux?
Yes. The beta supports Ubuntu 22.04 and later and Debian 12 and later, but does not include voice dictation or computer control. The global shortcut works on X11; on Wayland, it requires support for the GlobalShortcuts portal.
Do you need the app to use MCP?
No, not for remote connectors, which also work in the browser. You do need the app for local MCP servers - the kind that access files and apps on your computer.
Sources and date checked
- Claude download page
- Anthropic’s Claude Desktop installation guide
- Cowork guide
- Claude pricing
- consumer terms update and Code tab documentation. Cowork’s Windows release date comes from industry reports published in February 2026 and is less certain. Checked September 25
- 2026
