Windows setup guide

Start Claude Code on your computer

No technical skills needed. Do the steps in order, one line at a time. Don't skip ahead.

It takes about 15 minutes.

When you finish: you'll have a folder on your computer with Claude running inside it. You'll type requests in plain English, like "read these files and make me a summary," and Claude will work on the files in that folder. You can type them on the computer or in your web browser.

1Check what you need

2Make a folder for Claude

Claude will only be asked to work on files in this folder.

  1. Press Windows key + E on your keyboard. A File Explorer window opens.
  2. In the list on the left side, click Documents.
  3. Right-click on an empty white area in the window, away from any files.
  4. In the menu, point to New, then click Folder.
  5. A new folder appears with its name highlighted. Type claude-project and press Enter.
  6. Copy or move any files you want Claude to work on into this folder.

Leave File Explorer open. You'll need it in step 4.

3Install Node.js

Node.js is a free program. You need it to install Claude Code.

  1. Open your web browser and go to nodejs.org.
  2. Click the green button that says Get Node.js or Download Node.js (LTS).
  3. On the download page, click the Windows Installer (.msi) button. The file downloads.
  4. Open the downloaded file. You'll find it at the top right of your browser or in your Downloads folder.
  5. On the welcome screen, click Next.
  6. Check the box for I accept the terms in the License Agreement, then click Next.
  7. Keep clicking Next on every screen without changing anything. If you see a box about "tools for native modules," leave it unchecked.
  8. Click Install.
  9. If Windows asks "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?", click Yes.
  10. When it says it's finished, click Finish.

4Open a terminal in your folder

A terminal is a window where you type commands instead of clicking.

  1. Go back to File Explorer and double-click your claude-project folder to open it.
  2. Right-click on an empty white area inside the folder.
  3. Click Open in Terminal.
    If you don't see "Open in Terminal" (Windows 10): hold down the Shift key while you right-click, then click Open PowerShell window here.
  4. A window opens with a line of text and a blinking cursor.
    Check: the line should end with claude-project>. For example: PS C:\Users\Maria\Documents\claude-project>

How to run a command

Several steps below ask you to run a command. Every time, do these five things:

  1. On this page, click the Copy button on the dark command box.
  2. Click once inside the terminal window (the window you opened in step 4).
  3. Press Ctrl + V to paste. The command appears after the > symbol.
  4. Press Enter.
  5. Wait until a new line ending in > appears. That means it's finished and ready for the next command.

5Allow Windows to run npm

Windows has a safety setting that blocks the installer you'll use in step 6. This command changes that setting for your Windows user account. You only do it once.

  1. Run this command: 
    Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser RemoteSigned -Force
  2. Nothing will be printed. A new line ending in claude-project> appears. That's correct. Go to step 6.
    If you see a message that says "not recognized": you're in Command Prompt instead of PowerShell. Close the window and redo step 4. Make sure the line starts with PS.

6Install Claude Code

  1. Run this command to check that Node.js is installed: 
    node -v
    Check: you should see a version number starting with v, like v24.8.0.
    If you see "node is not recognized": close the terminal window, then redo step 4 to open a new one, and run the command again. If it still fails, restart your computer and try once more.
  2. Run this command to install Claude Code: 
    npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
  3. Wait. This can take a minute or two. Text will scroll by. It's done when you see a line that starts with added and then a new line ending in claude-project>.
    If you see red text that says "running scripts is disabled on this system": step 5 didn't take effect. Run the step 5 command again, then run this install command again.
  4. Run this command to check that it worked: 
    claude --version
    Check: you should see a number followed by (Claude Code), like 2.1.273 (Claude Code).
    If you see "claude is not recognized": close the terminal window, redo step 4, and run this command again.

7Start Claude and sign in

You only sign in once. After this, Claude remembers you.

  1. Run this command: 
    claude
  2. Claude asks you to pick a color style. Press Enter to keep the first one.
  3. Claude asks how you want to sign in. Use the ↓ and ↑ arrow keys to highlight the option that says Claude account (with your subscription), then press Enter.
  4. Your web browser opens a Claude page. Sign in if it asks, then click Authorize.
    If your browser doesn't open by itself: the terminal shows a long web address. Select it with your mouse, press Ctrl + C, paste it into your browser's address bar, and press Enter.
  5. Go back to the terminal window. It says the sign-in worked. Press Enter.
  6. If it shows more notes, press Enter to go past each one.
  7. Claude asks whether you trust the files in this folder. Highlight the Yes option and press Enter.
    Check: you now see a box with a > where you can type. Claude is running.
  8. Type /exit and press Enter. Claude closes and you're back at the claude-project> line.

8Start Claude without approval questions

Normally Claude stops and asks "may I do this?" before many actions. This way of starting Claude skips those questions so it can work without waiting on you.

  1. Run this command: 
    claude --dangerously-skip-permissions
  2. The first time, Claude shows a warning with two choices. Press ↓ to highlight Yes, I accept, then press Enter. You'll only see this warning once.
    Check: you see the box with a > where you can type. Leave Claude running and go to step 9.
Read this: started this way, Claude can create, change and delete files, and run programs, without asking you first. Nothing forces it to stay inside your folder. So: only ask for work on the claude-project folder, and keep a copy of any important file somewhere else before you put it in that folder.

9Connect your web browser

This lets you type to Claude from a browser window or from the Claude app on your phone, instead of the terminal. Claude still does the work on your computer.

  1. Click inside the terminal window where Claude is running.
  2. Type /remote-control and press Enter.
  3. The first time, a question appears. Highlight Enable Remote Control and press Enter.
  4. In your web browser, go to claude.ai/code.
  5. In the list of sessions, click the one that starts with your computer's name.
    Check: you see a chat box. Anything you type there goes to Claude on your computer.
Keep the terminal window open. If you close it, Claude stops and the browser can't reach it. You can minimize it.
If "Enable Remote Control" doesn't appear or gives an error on a Team or Enterprise plan: ask whoever manages your company's Claude account to turn on Remote Control.

10Ask Claude to do something

Type what you want in plain English, in the terminal or the browser, and press Enter. Name the files you mean. Try one of these:

What files are in this folder? Give me a one-line description of each.
Read customers.xlsx and make a list of everyone who hasn't ordered since June.
Rewrite notes.docx as a short, friendly email and save it as email.txt.
Make a new folder called invoices and move every PDF with "invoice" in the name into it.

Every day after today

Steps 1 to 8 are done for good. Each day, just do this:

  1. Press Windows key + E, click Documents, and double-click claude-project.
  2. Right-click an empty area and click Open in Terminal.
  3. Run this command. It starts Claude without approval questions and connects your browser:
claude --dangerously-skip-permissions --remote-control

Want to continue yesterday's conversation instead of starting fresh? Run this one instead:

claude --continue --dangerously-skip-permissions --remote-control