Does Claude Code Work on Windows?

Claude Code is Anthropic's command-line coding agent. It started on macOS and Linux, and people often ask whether Windows is supported. The answer is yes, and you have two ways to run it: native Windows or Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

System requirements for Windows

The official setup documentation lists these minimums for native Windows:

• Operating system: Windows 10 version 1809 or later, or Windows Server 2019 or later.
• Hardware: 4 GB or more of RAM and an x64 or ARM64 processor.
• Network: an internet connection for installation and authentication.

Windows 10 versions older than 1809 and Windows 8.1 are not supported. If you are on an older build, update Windows first or use WSL with a current Linux distribution.

Install Claude Code natively on Windows

Anthropic recommends the native install on Windows. Open PowerShell and run the install script:

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

Anthropic's documentation also lists WinGet as a native install option on Windows. After the install finishes, open a new terminal and check the version:

claude --version

If PowerShell returns command not found or not recognized, the install directory is not on your PATH yet. Close and reopen the terminal first. If the error stays, follow the command not found fix and add the install directory to your user PATH.

Native Windows compared with WSL

Native Windows runs Claude Code directly in PowerShell or Windows Terminal. Your prompt shows PS C:\ in PowerShell and C:\ without the PS in Command Prompt. Paths use backslashes, and PowerShell commands and quoting rules apply.

WSL runs a Linux environment inside Windows. Install Claude Code there with the macOS and Linux command:

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

Choose WSL when your project already uses Linux tools, shell scripts, or a Linux Node.js setup. Choose native Windows when you want the simplest path and your project builds with PowerShell or cross-platform tools.

Common Windows problems

• Command not found after install: reopen the terminal, then fix PATH as described in the linked guide.
• Wrong shell profile: PowerShell reads a different profile than Git Bash or WSL. Add the PATH entry to the profile of the shell you actually use.
• Line ending and encoding errors: Git on Windows can convert CRLF and LF. Set core.autocrlf deliberately for the repository instead of changing files by hand.
• Extension panel blank in VS Code: the VS Code extension fix covers the restart and cache steps.

Both install paths use the same Claude Code binary and the same settings files inside your home directory. You can move a project between native Windows and WSL without reinstalling Claude Code, but run the install once in each environment.

If Claude Code itself starts but a request fails, see Claude not working right now for outage, limit, and login checks.