Run Claude Code on Windows without WSL

Native Windows or WSL?

Both are supported. As of October 2026, Anthropic's setup docs compare them like this:

WSL 1 also works, but without sandboxing. For most Windows developers native is the simpler choice, so the rest of this guide sets that up.

Step 1: check the requirements

• Windows 10 version 1809 or later, Windows 11, or Windows Server 2019 or later.
• 4 GB of RAM or more, on an x64 or ARM64 processor.
• A Claude Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan, or a Claude Console account. The free claude.ai plan doesn't include Claude Code. Cloud providers such as Amazon Bedrock work too.

Step 2: install Claude Code

Open PowerShell (the prompt starts with PS) and run Anthropic's native installer. You don't need to run it as Administrator.

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

In Command Prompt (no PS in the prompt), use this instead:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd

The installer shows no progress while it downloads. When it finishes, open a new terminal window and check the install:

claude --version   # prints a version number
claude doctor      # read-only check of the install and your settings

The native install updates itself in the background. There are two other ways to install:

• WinGet: winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode. It doesn't update itself: run winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode now and then, or set CLAUDE_CODE_PACKAGE_MANAGER_AUTO_UPDATE=1 and Claude Code runs the upgrade for you.
• npm: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code, with Node.js 22 or later. It installs the same native binary.

Step 3: choose Git Bash or PowerShell

Claude Code needs a shell to run your tests, builds and git commands. On native Windows it picks one for you:

• Without Git for Windows, it runs commands through its PowerShell tool.
• With Git for Windows, it uses Git Bash for its Bash tool, and the PowerShell tool stays available alongside it (on by default for claude.ai and Console accounts).

Either works, but most READMEs and scripts assume Bash, and you need Git anyway for commits, branches and worktrees. So Git for Windows is the easy default. Install it from git-scm.com, or with WinGet:

winget install --id Git.Git -e --source winget

If Claude Code can't find Git Bash, for example because Git is in a non-standard folder, point it there in %USERPROFILE%\.claude\settings.json:

{
  "env": {
    "CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe"
  }
}

Step 4: sign in and start

cd C:\code\myapp
claude

The first run opens your browser to sign in. To use a Console API key instead, set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and approve the key when Claude Code asks; it then skips the login prompt.

Fixing the common errors

• 'claude' is not recognized. Open a new terminal first, because a terminal that was already open doesn't see the updated PATH. The native installer puts claude.exe in %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin. If a new terminal still can't find it, add that folder to your user PATH; Anthropic's install troubleshooting walks through it.
• The token '&&' is not a valid statement separator. You pasted the CMD command into PowerShell. Use irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex.
• 'irm' is not recognized as an internal or external command. You're in CMD. Use the curl command above, or open PowerShell.
• Claude Code can't find Git Bash. Set CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH as shown in step 3.
• An old version keeps running. You may have two installs, say npm and native. claude doctor reports the install's health, and the troubleshooting page shows how to find and remove the extra one.

When WSL 2 is the better choice

Use WSL 2 if you want Claude Code's sandboxed command execution, which native Windows doesn't support, or if your project builds with Linux-only tools. Open your WSL distribution and install with the Linux installer, inside the WSL terminal rather than PowerShell:

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

That install is separate from any Windows one, with its own login and settings inside the distribution. Keep the repository in the Linux file system (for example ~/code) rather than under /mnt/c: Microsoft recommends it for speed when you work with Linux tools.

Run several Claude Code sessions at once

Give each session its own git worktree, so two agents never edit the same checkout. Claude Code creates one for you. The repository needs at least one commit first.

claude --worktree feature-auth   # Windows Terminal tab 1
claude --worktree fix-login      # tab 2 (Ctrl+Shift+T opens a new tab)

Each command makes a separate checkout on its own branch under .claude\worktrees, so the sessions run side by side without touching each other's files. The full routine, including merging the work back, is in how to run Claude Code sessions in parallel.

Prefer an app to a terminal?

Two apps run the same Claude Code on Windows:

• Anthropic's Claude desktop app has a Code tab with parallel sessions, a visual diff review and an integrated terminal, for x64 and ARM64 (Anthropic's docs, October 2026). It's the natural pick if Claude is the only agent you use.
• Maestro is a free desktop app that runs Claude Code natively on Windows next to Codex, Cursor, OpenCode, Kimi Code and Grok Build, one agent per git worktree. It adds diff review, pull requests, and every workspace on your phone through Maestro Web. It uses the claude already on your PATH, with your own login.