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Installing Claude Code: Mac

Getting Claude Code running on your Mac takes about 5 minutes. Let's do this.

Open Terminal on Your Mac​

Terminal is where you'll run Claude Code. It's already on your Mac — you just need to find it.

Three ways to open it:

  1. Spotlight (fastest): Press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", press Enter
  2. Finder: Go to Applications → Utilities → Terminal
  3. Dock: Click Terminal if it's already pinned there

A window will appear with a prompt that looks something like Your-Macbook ~ %. That's your terminal. You're ready to install.

Install Claude Code​

You have two options. Option 1 is recommended.

Copy and paste this into your terminal:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Press Enter. You'll see some text scroll by as it downloads and sets up Claude Code.

That's it. Seriously.

Option 2: Homebrew​

If you already use Homebrew (a package manager for Mac), run:

brew install --cask claude-code

One difference: Homebrew installations don't update automatically. You'll need to run brew upgrade claude-code every few weeks to get the latest version. The official script updates itself.

Verify It Works​

After installation completes, check that it's installed:

claude --version

You should see something like Claude Code 1.0.x (the exact number doesn't matter — just that it shows a version).

If you see "command not found", close this terminal window and open a new one. Then try again.

First Launch​

Now navigate to any folder and start Claude Code:

cd ~/Desktop
claude

On first launch, it'll ask you to log in. If you already have a Claude account, sign in. If not, you'll need to create one and connect your API key (we cover that in the next topic).

Once signed in, you'll see the Claude Code interface. You're in.

Troubleshooting​

"Command not found" after installation​

Close your terminal completely (Cmd + Q) and open a new one. Try claude --version again.

Permission errors​

If you get a message about permissions being blocked:

  1. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security
  2. Look for a message about Claude Code being blocked
  3. Click Allow

Apple Silicon vs Intel Mac​

The install script automatically detects which type of Mac you have and installs the right version. You don't need to do anything special.

If you're not sure which Mac you have: click the Apple icon in the top-left corner → About This Mac. It will say either "Chip" (Apple Silicon) or "Processor" (Intel).

What Comes Next​

Now that Claude Code is installed, you need to connect your API key so it can actually work. That's topic 8.5.

🧪 Try This Now: Open Terminal, run the install command, then run claude --version. If you see a version number, you're ready for the next step.