Connecting Claude Desktop

Last reviewed: 16 Sep 2026

The Claude desktop app (Mac and Windows) connects the same way as Claude on the web: as a custom connector you paste one URL into. Custom connectors need a paid Claude plan.

Step 1: Add the connector

In the app: Settings, Connectors, Add custom connector. Paste the URL from the Claude Desktop row on the Connect page. Your key is inside the URL, so treat it like a password; leave the OAuth fields blank.

Older builds: Settings, Developer, Edit Config, and add the same URL there. This is the desktop app's own config; Claude Code, the program in your terminal, is connected separately by the installer.

Step 2: Check it worked

Start a new chat and ask "What's my current focus?" If it answers with your project, you are connected.

Files on your machine

Claude Desktop reaches your files the same way ChatGPT does: through the tunnel, started inside the project folder. See Installing the tunnel. If you want an agent that works on your code directly, that is Claude Code.