How to Install Claude Code on Windows (Step-by-Step Guide)

Claude Code runs in your terminal and works with your local files — getting it set up on Windows takes about ten minutes. Here’s the complete step-by-step guide.

What You Need Before Starting

• Windows 10 or 11
• Node.js 18 or higher — Claude Code is installed via npm
• An Anthropic account — free to create at console.anthropic.com
• An Anthropic API key — generated in the Anthropic console (requires adding a payment method, but you get free credits to start)

Step 1: Install Node.js

If you don’t already have Node.js installed:

1. Go to nodejs.org and download the LTS version.
2. Run the installer and follow the prompts — keep all default settings.
3. Open a new Command Prompt or PowerShell window and verify the install:

node --version
npm --version

Both should return version numbers. If they do, Node.js is ready.

Step 2: Get Your Anthropic API Key

1. Go to console.anthropic.com and sign in or create a free account.
2. In the left menu, click API Keys.
3. Click Create Key, give it a name (e.g. “Claude Code”), and copy the key.
4. Save it somewhere safe — you won’t be able to see it again.

You’ll also need to add a payment method in the Billing section before the API key will work. Anthropic provides free credits for new accounts so you won’t be charged immediately.

Step 3: Install Claude Code

Open PowerShell or Command Prompt and run:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

The -g flag installs it globally so you can run it from any directory. The install takes about a minute.

Step 4: Set Your API Key

Claude Code needs your API key to communicate with Anthropic. Set it as an environment variable:

$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY = "your-api-key-here"

This sets it for the current session only. To make it permanent so you don’t have to set it every time:

1. Search for Environment Variables in the Start menu and open Edit the system environment variables.
2. Click Environment Variables.
3. Under User variables, click New.
4. Set Variable name: ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and Variable value: your key.
5. Click OK and restart your terminal.

Step 5: Start Claude Code

Navigate to a project folder in your terminal:

cd C:\Users\YourName\Projects\my-project

Then launch Claude Code:

claude

The first time you run it, Claude Code will ask you to accept the terms of service. After that, you’ll see a prompt where you can start giving it instructions.

Your First Task

Try something simple to confirm everything is working:

claude "list the files in this directory and tell me what this project does"

Claude Code will read your project structure and give you a summary. From there you can ask it to make changes, fix bugs, add features, or anything else.

Using Windows Terminal (Recommended)

Claude Code works best in Windows Terminal rather than the old Command Prompt — it renders the output more cleanly. If you don’t have it, install it free from the Microsoft Store.

Troubleshooting

• “claude is not recognised” — close and reopen your terminal after installing, or restart your PC to refresh the PATH.
• “API key invalid” — check the key was copied correctly with no extra spaces, and that you’ve added a payment method in the Anthropic console.
• Permission errors during install — run PowerShell as Administrator and retry the npm install command.

Related Guides

• How to Install Claude Code on Mac
• How to Use Claude Code — Beginner’s Guide
• What is Claude Code?