How to install Claude Code on Windows and Mac, the Australian 2026 guide

Before you start

Three things you’ll need:

1. A computer running Windows 10/11 or macOS 12 or later. Linux works too but isn’t the focus of this guide.
2. An Anthropic account. Free to sign up at console.anthropic.com. You’ll need to add a payment method or API credits to actually use Claude Code (the install is free, the API calls aren’t).
3. A terminal. On Windows that’s PowerShell (built in, search the Start menu). On Mac that’s Terminal (Cmd+Space, type “terminal”). If you use VS Code, its built-in terminal works fine too.

That’s it. You don’t need to be a developer. You don’t need to understand JavaScript or Node. You just need to be willing to copy and paste two commands.

Step 1: Install Node.js

Claude Code runs on Node.js, which is a JavaScript runtime. If you’ve never installed it, here’s the 30-second path.

On Mac:

Open Terminal. Type:

node --version

If you see a number starting with v18, v20, or higher, you’re done. Skip to Step 2.

If you see “command not found”, install Node via Homebrew (the standard Mac package manager). If you don’t have Homebrew, install it from brew.sh (one curl command, takes 2 minutes). Then:

brew install node

On Windows:

Open PowerShell. Type:

node --version

If you see v18.x.x or higher, you’re set. Skip to Step 2.

If not, go to nodejs.org, download the LTS version (the green button on the left), and run the installer. Accept all the defaults. Close and reopen PowerShell when it’s done.

Step 2: Install Claude Code

This is the actual one-line install. In your terminal:

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

The -g flag installs it globally so you can run claude from anywhere. On Mac you might be prompted for your password (this is normal). On Windows you might get a permission error: if so, close PowerShell, right-click PowerShell in the Start menu, choose “Run as administrator”, and re-run the command.

Verify it installed:

claude --version

You should see something like claude-code 1.x.x. If you do, you’re past the hard part.

Step 3: Authenticate with Anthropic

Navigate to a folder where you keep your work. On Mac:

cd ~/Documents

On Windows:

cd $HOME\Documents

Now start Claude Code:

claude

First time, it’ll open a browser window and ask you to sign in. Use the same Anthropic account you created in Step 0. Once you authenticate, the browser will redirect back to localhost and the terminal will show a prompt. You’re in.

Step 4: Try your first conversation

In the Claude Code prompt, type:

Hi. I'm new to Claude Code. Walk me through what you can do in this folder.

Hit Enter. Claude will read your folder structure, summarise what it sees, and explain what it could help you with. This is the simplest possible test: no setup, no config, just a conversation.

If you’re running this in a folder full of work, Claude can also read individual files. Try:

Read README.md and summarise it for me.

Or any file name relevant to what you’re doing.

Step 5: Install the VS Code extension (optional but worth it)

Skip this step if you don’t use VS Code. If you do (or want to start), it’s a meaningful upgrade.

1. Open VS Code.
2. Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (looks like four squares).
3. Search “Claude Code” in the marketplace.
4. Click Install on the official Anthropic extension.
5. Restart VS Code.

You now get:

• Selection tracking: highlight code in any file, and Claude can see what you’ve highlighted automatically.
• Sidebar chat: a Claude Code panel inside VS Code without needing a separate terminal window.
• One-click “explain this file”: right-click any file, choose “Ask Claude about this file”.
• Shared session state: a conversation started in the terminal is the same conversation you can pick up in VS Code.

If you’d rather use Cursor or another VS Code-derived editor, Claude Code’s CLI works there too. The extension is specifically a VS Code thing.

Step 6: Write your first CLAUDE.md

This is the single highest-leverage thing you can do as a Claude Code user.

In any folder where you work, create a file called CLAUDE.md. Claude Code reads this at the start of every conversation in that folder, automatically. It’s how you tell Claude who you are, what you do, what your preferences are.

Here’s a starter for an Australian small business owner:

# About me + my business

I run a Melbourne-based cafe called Roastline (fictional). We use:
- Shopify for our retail merchandise
- Square for in-store payments
- Klaviyo for email
- Instagram + LinkedIn for marketing

# Tone

- Australian English (organised, colour, centre, analysed)
- Conversational, slightly cheeky, never corporate
- No em-dashes (use commas or colons)
- Currency is always AUD unless I say otherwise
- Dates: DD/MM/YYYY

# Workflow

- Reply concisely. Don't pad.
- When suggesting code, prefer TypeScript over JavaScript.
- When drafting customer-facing copy, write three options not one.
- If you're unsure, ask before assuming.

Save it. Open Claude Code in that folder. Your conversations will now start in your voice, with your context loaded.

Step 7: Set up cost guardrails

Important. Before you start any heavy use, set a monthly cap in your Anthropic console:

1. Go to console.anthropic.com.
2. Click “Plans & billing” in the sidebar.
3. Under “Usage limits”, set a monthly cap.
4. For light personal use, $50 AUD is plenty. For heavy daily work, $200 AUD is a sensible starting cap.

You can always raise it. You can’t un-spend money. Set the cap.

Cost expectations in plain English

In May 2026, with Claude Opus 4.6 as the default:

If you’re spending more than this and not getting value, your prompts are wrong, not the tool. Read our prompt engineering masterclass.

Common install issues, fixed

“npm: command not found” Node didn’t install correctly. Close and reopen your terminal. If still broken, re-run the Node installer.

“EACCES: permission denied” on Mac Use sudo npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code. You’ll be prompted for your password.

“npm ERR! code EACCES” on Windows Close PowerShell, right-click the PowerShell shortcut, “Run as administrator”, retry.

“claude: command not found” after install Your terminal didn’t pick up the global install path. Close and reopen the terminal. On Windows, restart PowerShell. If still broken, run npm config get prefix and add that path (plus /bin) to your system PATH.

Browser doesn’t open during sign-in Copy the URL Claude Code prints in the terminal, paste it into a browser manually.

“Rate limited” or “billing required” error Add a payment method or API credits at console.anthropic.com.

What to read next

If you’re a non-developer, our Claude Code for non-developers piece walks through five concrete use cases that don’t require any coding.

If you want to build your first agent (something that runs without you, on a schedule, like an inventory checker), start with our building your first Claude Code agent walkthrough.

If you’re on Windows and want the deep-dive on PowerShell-specific quirks, see Claude Code with Windows PowerShell, the quirks.

Otherwise, the rest of the Claude Code library has 14 more guides covering hooks, MCP servers, the Agent SDK, plugins, slash commands, cost optimisation, and AWS Bedrock for data residency.

If you want this done for you

We do a Claude Code Setup Day: $1,500 AUD, fixed price, one day end-to-end. We install everything on your machine, write your CLAUDE.md against your real business, wire up MCP servers, and ship one real working agent before close-of-day. Includes 30 days of email support afterwards. Most clients are non-developers; some are senior engineers. Both groups walk away with patterns they wouldn’t have found alone.

Otherwise, you’re set. Run claude and get to work.