Claude Desktop on Linux (beta) - Claude Code Docs

Claude Code Docs

4 min read Original article ↗

The desktop app on Linux gives you the same Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code experience as on macOS and Windows: parallel sessions, visual diff review, an integrated terminal and editor, and live app preview. See Use Claude Code Desktop for the feature reference.

Requirements

  • Ubuntu 22.04 or later, or Debian 12 or later
  • x86_64 or arm64

Other Debian-based distributions that meet these requirements may work but aren’t officially tested.

Install

Install from Anthropic’s apt repository so that updates arrive through your system’s regular package updates. Open a terminal and run the commands in each step.

Install from a downloaded file

If you can’t install through the apt repository, download the .deb package directly from the repository’s package pool. This command looks up the newest package for your architecture in the repository index, then downloads it to the current directory:

If the command fails with Remote file name has no length, the lookup returned no package path. This can mean the repository index couldn’t be fetched, for example when your network blocks downloads.claude.ai, or that no package exists for your architecture. Confirm that your network can reach downloads.claude.ai and that dpkg --print-architecture prints amd64 or arm64; the repository doesn’t publish packages for other architectures. To install without registering Anthropic’s apt repository, first create /etc/default/claude-desktop with the line CLAUDE_DESKTOP_ADD_REPO="false". Without the repository, apt doesn’t deliver new versions; to update, re-run the download command and reinstall, or register the repository later. Then open the downloaded file with your software installer, such as GNOME Software, or install it with apt from the directory that contains the downloaded file:

If apt reports E: Unsupported file ./claude-desktop_*.deb given on commandline, the pattern didn’t match a .deb file in the current directory. Confirm the download completed, then run the command again from the directory that contains the file. Installing the .deb also registers Anthropic’s apt repository at /etc/apt/sources.list.d/claude-desktop.list, so future updates arrive with your system’s regular package updates.

Update

The desktop app doesn’t update itself on Linux. Updates arrive with your system’s regular package updates:

Your distribution’s graphical software updater will also pick up new versions.

Uninstall

Uninstalling the package also removes the repository entry and signing key it registered. If you added the repository entry yourself with the Add Anthropic’s apt repository step, remove it too:

Troubleshoot

Unable to locate package claude-desktop

If sudo apt install claude-desktop fails with E: Unable to locate package claude-desktop, apt didn’t find the repository you added. Check the following:

  • Confirm the repository entry was written. cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/claude-desktop.list should show the deb line from the Add Anthropic’s apt repository step. If the file is empty or missing, run that step again.
  • Confirm your architecture is supported. dpkg --print-architecture should print amd64 or arm64. The repository doesn’t publish packages for other architectures.
  • Run sudo apt update again and check its output for errors related to downloads.claude.ai. A network or key error there means the repository was added but couldn’t be reached or verified.

If the repository is in place and reachable and the package is still not found, install from a downloaded file instead.

What’s not in the Linux beta yet

  • Computer Use: app and screen control isn’t available on Linux.
  • Dictation: voice input isn’t available in the Linux desktop app. Use voice dictation in the CLI instead.
  • Quick Entry global hotkey: works on X11. On native Wayland it requires your desktop environment’s GlobalShortcuts portal.
  • Fedora and RHEL: only Debian-based distributions are supported today. Support for additional distributions is coming in the future.

For anything not yet available in the desktop app, the CLI runs the same Claude Code engine and supports a wider range of Linux distributions; see the system requirements.