Claude Code · Install and setup
Claude Code on Windows requires either Git for Windows (for bash) or PowerShell
Claude Code runs natively on Windows, but it needs a shell to run commands: Git Bash or PowerShell, and it found neither.
Message
The exact error
Claude Code on Windows requires either Git for Windows (for bash) or PowerShellAlso appears as:
- Very old versions
- Claude Code is not supported on Windows.
Meaning
What it means
Old Claude Code versions didn’t run on Windows at all, which is where “Claude Code is not supported on Windows” comes from. Current versions do: they use Git Bash when it’s installed and fall back to PowerShell otherwise. This error means neither could be found.
Causes
Common causes
- PowerShell missing from
PATH - Git for Windows installed somewhere Claude Code doesn’t look
- Endpoint security software blocking the shell processes
- A very old Claude Code version
Fix
How to fix it
Update Claude Code
If you see “not supported on Windows”, install the current version:
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iexin PowerShell, orwinget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode.Make sure PowerShell is on PATH
Its default folder is
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\. Add it toPATH, or install PowerShell 7 (pwsh).Or point Claude Code at Git Bash
Install Git for Windows with “Add to PATH” selected, or set its
bash.exepath in~/.claude/settings.json:settings.json { "env": { "CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe" } }If it still fails
Security software such as AppLocker or an EDR agent may be blocking
cmd.exeorbash.exestarted byclaude.exe. Ask IT to allowlist them.
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