Claude Code Installation Guide - Mac
A step-by-step guide to installing Claude Code on Mac. Covers all three methods: Desktop app, VS Code extension, and CLI, organized from easiest to advanced.
Claude Code is Anthropic's AI coding agent. It can read code, make modifications, and execute terminal commands. You can use it in three ways: Desktop app, VS Code extension, and CLI, and Mac supports all methods.
Prerequisites
Requirements
• macOS 12 or later
• Claude Pro, Max, Teams, or Enterprise subscription
The Free plan can use the Desktop app but with some feature limitations. A paid plan is required to use all features of Claude Code.
Method 1: Desktop App Installation (Easiest)
The Claude Desktop app provides three tabs: Chat, Cowork, and Code. You can use Claude Code in the Code tab.
Installation Steps
1. Go to claude.com/download
2. Click the macOS button
3. Run the downloaded dmg file
4. Drag Claude.app to the Applications folder
5. Launch Claude and log in with your account
6. Select the Code tab
Method 2: VS Code Extension Installation
You can use Claude Code directly within VS Code. VS Code 1.98.0 or later is required.
Installation Steps
1. Open VS Code
2. Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (or Cmd+Shift+X)
3. Type Claude Code in the search box
4. Find Anthropic's Claude Code extension and click Install
5. Restart VS Code
6. Click the Spark icon in the top right of the editor
7. Log in with your Claude account
Method 3: CLI Installation
This method runs Claude Code directly from the terminal. Useful for scripting and automation.
3-1. Native Installation (Recommended)
The official installation method with automatic updates.
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash3-2. Homebrew Installation
If you use Homebrew, this method is also available. Note that automatic updates are not supported, so you'll need to upgrade periodically.
brew install --cask claude-codeOnce installation is complete, you can run it directly from the terminal.
cd your-project
claudeOn first run, a browser will open requesting login. Log in with your Claude account to start using it.
Updates
Native installation updates automatically. If installed via Homebrew, you'll need to update manually.
brew upgrade claude-codeThe Desktop app and VS Code extension update automatically.
Next Steps
Once installation is complete, try giving Claude simple tasks. Start with requests like 'Explain this code', 'Find bugs', or 'Add tests'. Claude Code can read files, make modifications, and execute terminal commands.
