# How to Install Claude Cowork on Windows 11 (Complete Guide)

https://hostcarts.qa/knowledgebase/article/how-to-install-claude-cowork-on-windows-11-complete-guide

Claude Cowork officially arrived on Windows on **February 10, 2026**, bringing full feature parity with macOS — including file access, multi‑step task execution, plugins, MCP connectors, and scheduled tasks. If you're using Windows 11, installation is straightforward and takes less than 5 minutes.

Below is a polished, step‑by‑step installation guide suitable for your blog.

## Step-by-Step Installation Guide for Claude Cowork (Windows 11)

### 01 Check System Requirements

Important

Claude Cowork requires a modern Windows environment and a paid Claude plan.

- Windows 10 (22H2+) or Windows 11
- 64‑bit Intel/AMD processor
- Minimum **8 GB RAM** (16 GB recommended)
- At least **10 GB free disk space**
- Claude Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise subscription

### 02 Download Claude Desktop for Windows

Claude Cowork runs inside the Claude Desktop app.

Visit **claude.ai/download**

- Scroll to the Windows section
- Download the `.exe` installer
- Save it to your preferred folder

### 03 Install Claude Desktop

Run the installer to set up Claude on your Windows 11 system.

- Double‑click the downloaded `.exe`
- Allow Windows to run the installer
- Follow the on‑screen prompts
- Launch Claude Desktop from the **Start Menu**

### 04 Sign In to Your Anthropic Account

Cowork is available only for paid plans.

- Open Claude Desktop
- Click **Sign In**
- Enter your Anthropic account credentials
- Ensure your plan includes Cowork (Pro or above)

### 05 Enable Claude Cowork

Most Common Step

Cowork runs tasks inside a secure virtual machine using Hyper‑V.

- In Claude Desktop, click the **Cowork** button on the left sidebar
- Approve file‑system permissions when prompted
- Wait for the ~2 GB VM image to download (one‑time setup)

### 06 Set Your Working Folder

Cowork only operates inside a folder you choose.

- Click **Set working folder**
- Choose Desktop, Documents, or a project folder
- Claude will only access files inside this folder unless you grant extra permissions

### 07 Start Using Cowork

You can now run autonomous tasks, plugins, and connectors.

- Create tasks inside your working folder
- Connect Slack, Notion, Google Drive, Microsoft 365, etc.
- Use multi‑step task execution and scheduled tasks