Claude from Zero
Module 220 min

Install Claude Desktop in 5 minutes

Step-by-step install for Mac, Windows, and Linux. With clear checkpoints so you'll know exactly when it's working.

Install Claude Desktop on Mac

What we're about to do

Seven minutes, and Claude is open on your Mac. No terminal, no command line, nothing scary.

You'll download one file, open it, and drag an icon. That's it. If you've ever installed Zoom or WhatsApp — this is exactly the same.

Before we start — two 30-second checks

Check 1: macOS version. Claude Desktop needs macOS 11 (Big Sur) or higher — meaning any Mac from 2018 onwards.

How to check: click the apple 🍎 in the top-left corner → "About This Mac". A window opens. If you see 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15 — you're good.

Check 2: 200MB free disk space. Most likely yes. If you're tight on space — clear out your Downloads folder a bit before continuing.

Step 1: Download (one minute)

Open Safari (or Chrome, whichever you prefer)
Go to: claude.ai/download
The site detects you're on a Mac and gives you a "Download for Mac" button
Click. The file downloads to your Downloads folder. It's called something like Claude-darwin-arm64.dmg or Claude-darwin-x64.dmg. Don't be scared of the name — it's just a normal installer file.

Tip: If your Mac has an Apple Silicon chip (M1, M2, M3, M4) — download the arm64 version. If you have an older Intel Mac — download the x64 version. If unsure — click apple 🍎 → "About This Mac" and check. In most cases the website picks the right one for you automatically.

Step 2: Install (one minute)

Find the downloaded file in your Downloads folder
Double-click on it
A window opens showing the Claude icon and an Applications folder icon next to it
Drag the Claude icon into the Applications folder. That's it. That's the only step that requires anything.
Close the window that opened

Step 3: First launch (two minutes)

Open Launchpad (the rocket icon in the Dock) or Spotlight (Cmd+Space) and search for "Claude"
Click the Claude icon
The first time, macOS will ask you: "Are you sure you want to open it?" — click Open. This is normal, it's Apple's safety check for any new app.
A Claude window opens asking you to sign in
Click Sign in with Google (easiest) or Sign in with Email
If you chose Email — Claude sends you a code via email. Copy the code, paste it, you're in.

Checkpoint: how do I know it's working?

If you see a window saying "How can I help you today?" — congrats, you're in.

Type in the window: Hi, what's your name?

If Claude answers — everything is working great. You can close the window without worry; it stays installed and the icon is in your Applications folder.

Common problems and fixes

"Apple Cannot Verify the Developer" — if this pops up, close the message. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down, and you'll see a message about Claude with an "Open Anyway" button. Click it, then restart Step 3.

The downloaded file won't open — the download may have been corrupted. Delete it and download again.

Claude wants a password I don't remember — if you chose Email, click "Forgot Password" and follow the instructions. If you chose Google, log in with your regular Google account.

I see everything in English, how do I switch language? — Click your name (or avatar) in the corner. A menu opens with Settings. There you can pick the interface language. The chat with Claude — it'll respond in whatever language you write in, no setting needed.

What's next

You're installed. In the next module, we'll have your first useful conversation — five real-life examples you can repeat tonight.

Before moving on: keep Claude open, or at least pin the icon to your Dock (right-click the icon in the Dock → Options → Keep in Dock). We'll need it.

— Guy

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Your first useful conversation