How to Install Claude Code on Windows 11

Learn how to install Claude code on Windows 11 with clear steps, practical tips, and troubleshooting guidance for a reliable result.

How to install Claude Code on Windows 11

Step 1

You need to open Windows Terminal (or PowerShell) with administrator privileges . Then enter the command below to check if WinGet is available.

winget --version

Step 2

Enter the command below to install Claude Code on your computer.

winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode

You will then see the ClaudeCode installation process for your computer.

If you see the message "No package found matching input criteria ," enter the command below to update WinGet on your computer.

winget source update

Step 3

Open a new Terminal window and enter the following command to check the version of Claude Code .

claude --version

If after entering this command you receive the message 'claude' is not recognized as a command , follow the steps below.

Restart the Terminal and re-enter the version check command. If it still doesn't work, restart your computer.

Enter the command below to check if Claude Code is installed.

where.exe claude

If nothing appears , the Claude Code installation process failed without error. Run the command below to check if the software has been successfully installed.

winget list Anthropic.ClaudeCode

For a more comprehensive diagnosis , run the following command:

claude doctor

This tool checks the installation type, version, and configuration and points out most common problems.

Authenticate using your Anthropic account via PowerShell

In the Command Prompt or PowerShell interface, enter the following command.

claude

The system will prompt you to select a color mode for the Claude terminal . The default mode will be dark mode.

Now, you will be asked to choose a login method . If you have a Claude subscription, choose the first method; if you want to use the API, choose the other method and press Enter.

Next, you will be asked to verify . We log into the Anthropic website and then allow Claude Code access to your account.

After a successful connection, the Terminal window will display the message "Login Successful" .

Claud will ask you to allow reading, writing, or executing files from the current user directory; press Enter.

Cloud Code has finally been successfully installed on Windows PowerShell.

Update Claude code

To update Claude Code:

winget upgrade Anthropic.ClaudeCode

To check if any updates are available.

winget list Anthropic.ClaudeCode

Update all

winget upgrade --all

Uninstall Claude Code on Windows

Enter the command below

winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode

To completely clear configuration and cache data.

Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE.claude" -Recurse -Force Remove-Item -Path "$env:USERPROFILE.claude.json" -Force