One useful task, without extra connections
By the end of this lesson, you will have the app installed, a short test conversation, and a way to distinguish Chat, Cowork, and Code. Start with Chat. This exercise does not need a connected folder, an extension, an API key, or a purchase.
Sample outputs below were written for teaching, not taken from a filmed run. Success means giving a task, receiving something useful, and checking it, rather than simply opening the app.
Check your system and use the official installer
Open the official installation article in the sources and follow its download link. Select the correct operating system and processor architecture. Avoid installers advertised as "Claude without limits" or linked from an unfamiliar ad.
The installation article checked on September 30, 2026 lists macOS 11 or later, Windows 10 or later, and Linux beta on Ubuntu 22.04 or Debian 12 or later. These are app requirements, not a guarantee that every mode works on the same computer.
On Mac and Windows, run the installer, finish installation, and open Claude from Applications or the Start menu. On Linux, follow the current official apt instructions, including repository setup and updates. Do not run a copied installation command from an unfamiliar post. On a managed work computer, check whether installation is allowed first.
Sign in and check what is available
Use a sign-in method offered by the app, finish verification, and wait for the return to Desktop. Check the account, especially if both personal and work accounts are open in your browser.
A verification code is what the provider displays or sends. It is not a string you guess from a link. If the app does not finish signing in, use the official troubleshooting route rather than repeating attempts indefinitely.
Note your operating system, account plan, and available interface options. Do not include a code, private address, or internal document in a screenshot. An upgrade prompt can mean an entitlement limit. You do not need to upgrade for this Chat exercise.
Know the three kinds of work
Chat: supply a question or source material and receive an answer. Uploading a file shares that selected file, not the whole computer.
Cowork: multi-step tasks that can use connected folders, subject to plan, system requirements, and permissions. It can change files, so it is different from a plain conversation.
Code: development work. Using Claude Code in the Desktop interface does not require installing the CLI separately. Running claude in a terminal is a separate setup.
Choose Chat for this lesson. You do not need an action mode just because it is available. If your interface differs from a screenshot, look for the intended operation rather than an exact button position.
Run a test conversation
Open a new chat and paste:
Turn these notes into a short task list.
For each task, include the action, owner, and deadline only if supplied.
Mark missing details as "not supplied". Do not fill them in.
This is a draft to check, not a message to send.
Notes:
Dana will check the presentation by Thursday.
A room must be booked, but no owner or deadline was chosen.
Yoav will prepare the participant list; no deadline was chosen.
An illustrative expected output:
1. Check the presentation | Dana | Thursday
2. Book a room | Owner: not supplied | Deadline: not supplied
3. Prepare the participant list | Yoav | Deadline: not supplied
Check that room booking was not assigned to Dana and that a calendar date was not invented for Thursday. A weekday alone is not enough information to write a date into a calendar.
Finish the small workflow
After checking the list, ask:
Add two questions that need answers before this list is ready to execute.
Do not answer those questions yourself or change the facts.
A useful answer might ask who books the room and when Yoav must finish the list. Other questions may be useful too. Judge them against your need.
Then ask for a reusable format:
Return the tasks and questions as short text I can copy into a note.
Keep all missing details marked.
Read the final version, give the conversation a findable name, and copy only the needed text. No message was sent, room booked, or calendar event created. A chat output is not an action in the world.
Three levels of practice
Easy: check the output
Receive a task list in Chat. Success: all three actions appear, with missing details instead of invented ones.
Intermediate: add information
Say, "Roni will book the room; the deadline is still undecided." Success: the room owner changes, while the deadline stays missing.
Challenging: explain the boundary
Write when you would need Cowork or Code instead of Chat. Success: your explanation refers to file actions or development, rather than assuming another mode is always smarter.
Troubleshooting and the next step
The app will not open: check system requirements, the official installer, and updates. Cowork can have higher requirements than Chat.
A screenshot shows an option you lack: check mode, plan, version, and organization permissions. Do not bypass an administrator's restriction.
You hit a usage limit: read the reset information in the interface. A non-urgent exercise does not require a purchase.
The answer is wrong: installation can be correct while the output is wrong. Return to the source, identify the error, and check the revision.
Next, learn to define a conversation task and improve its answer without losing the source facts.