Ten minutes. One command to install, one browser sign-in. If you would rather skip the terminal, the desktop app is the same agent with buttons.
Before you start
macOS 13 (Ventura) or newer. Apple menu, About This Mac shows your version.
A paid Claude plan through work (Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise). The free plan does not include Claude Code.
Step 1: Open Terminal
Press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, press Enter. A window with a blinking cursor appears. That is the terminal: you type a command, press Enter, the computer answers in text.
Step 2: Install Claude Code
Copy this line, paste it into Terminal (Cmd + V) and press Enter:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Text scrolls for a while and ends with “Claude Code successfully installed!”. Then check:
claude --version
You should see a version number followed by (Claude Code). Claude Code keeps itself up to date from now on.
If you use Homebrew, brew install --cask claude-code works too, but it does not update itself; run brew upgrade claude-code now and then.
Step 3: Open a folder in Terminal
Claude Code works inside the folder you start it from. Make a folder called ai-school in Documents using Finder. Then get a Terminal window inside it, any of these ways:
Drag and drop. Drag the folder from Finder onto the Terminal icon in the Dock. A new window opens inside that folder.
Right-click. In Finder, right-click the folder, choose Services, then New Terminal at Folder. If the entry is missing, turn it on once in System Settings, Keyboard, Keyboard Shortcuts, Services, under Files and Folders.
Type it. In any Terminal window: cd ~/Documents/ai-school. Or type cd and drag the folder into the window; macOS pastes the path.
The line in the window now ends with ai-school %. Same folder, two windows: Finder shows it as icons, Terminal as a path.
Step 4: Start Claude Code and sign in
claude
The first time, Claude Code asks you to log in. Choose the Claude account option, press Enter, and a browser window opens. Sign in with your work account and confirm. Back in Terminal you see a welcome screen with the version, the model and your folder.
Step 5: Say something
what is in this folder?
It is empty, so Claude says so. Drop any document into Documents/ai-school with Finder and ask again. Continue with Your first session.
If something goes wrong
"command not found: claude"
The install worked but the terminal does not know where to look yet. Close Terminal completely and open it again. If it still fails, paste these two lines and press Enter: