> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://code.claude.com/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Troubleshoot installation and login > Fix command not found, PATH, permission, network, and authentication errors when installing or signing in to Claude Code. If installation fails or you can't sign in, find your error below. For runtime issues after Claude Code is working, see [Troubleshooting](/en/troubleshooting). For configuration problems such as settings not applying or hooks not firing, see [Debug your configuration](/en/debug-your-config). ## Find your error Match the error message or symptom you're seeing to a fix: | What you see | Solution | | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `command not found: claude` or `'claude' is not recognized` | [Fix your PATH](#command-not-found-claude-after-installation) | | `syntax error near unexpected token '<'` | [Install script returns HTML](#install-script-returns-html-instead-of-a-shell-script) | | `curl: (56) Failure writing output to destination` | [Check connectivity or use an alternative installer](#curl-56-failure-writing-output-to-destination) | | `Killed` during install on Linux | [Add swap space for low-memory servers](#install-killed-on-low-memory-linux-servers) | | `TLS connect error` or `SSL/TLS secure channel` | [Update CA certificates](#tls-or-ssl-connection-errors) | | `Failed to fetch version` or can't reach download server | [Check network and proxy settings](#check-network-connectivity) | | `irm is not recognized` or `&& is not valid` | [Use the right command for your shell](#wrong-install-command-on-windows) | | `'bash' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet` | [Use the Windows installer command](#wrong-install-command-on-windows) | | `Claude Code on Windows requires either Git for Windows (for bash) or PowerShell` | [Install a shell](#claude-code-on-windows-requires-either-git-for-windows-for-bash-or-powershell) | | `Claude Code does not support 32-bit Windows` | [Open Windows PowerShell, not the x86 entry](#claude-code-does-not-support-32-bit-windows) | | `The process cannot access the file ... because it is being used by another process` | [Clear the downloads folder and retry](#the-process-cannot-access-the-file-during-windows-install) | | `Error loading shared library` | [Wrong binary variant for your system](#linux-musl-or-glibc-binary-mismatch) | | `Illegal instruction` | [Architecture or CPU instruction set mismatch](#illegal-instruction) | | `cannot execute binary file: Exec format error` in WSL | [WSL1 native-binary regression](#exec-format-error-on-wsl1) | | PowerShell installer completes but `claude` is not found or shows an old version | [Restart your terminal and verify PATH](#verify-your-path) | | `dyld: cannot load`, `dyld: Symbol not found`, or `Abort trap` on macOS | [Binary incompatibility](#dyld-cannot-load-on-macos) | | `Invoke-Expression: Missing argument in parameter list` | [Install script returns HTML](#install-script-returns-html-instead-of-a-shell-script) | | `App unavailable in region` | Claude Code is not available in your country. See [supported countries](https://www.anthropic.com/supported-countries). | | `unable to get local issuer certificate` | [Configure corporate CA certificates](#tls-or-ssl-connection-errors) | | `OAuth error` or `403 Forbidden` | [Fix authentication](#login-and-authentication) | | `Could not load the default credentials` or `Could not load credentials from any providers` | [Bedrock, Vertex, or Foundry credentials](#bedrock-vertex-or-foundry-credentials-not-loading) | | `ChainedTokenCredential authentication failed` or `CredentialUnavailableError` | [Bedrock, Vertex, or Foundry credentials](#bedrock-vertex-or-foundry-credentials-not-loading) | | `API Error: 500`, `529 Overloaded`, `429`, or other 4xx and 5xx errors not listed above | See the [Error reference](/en/errors) | If your issue isn't listed, work through the diagnostic checks below to narrow down the cause. If you'd rather skip the terminal entirely, the [Claude Code Desktop app](/en/desktop-quickstart) lets you install and use Claude Code through a graphical interface. Download it for [macOS](https://claude.ai/api/desktop/darwin/universal/dmg/latest/redirect?utm_source=claude_code\&utm_medium=docs) or [Windows](https://claude.com/download?utm_source=claude_code\&utm_medium=docs) and start coding without any command-line setup. ## Run diagnostic checks ### Check network connectivity The installer downloads from `downloads.claude.ai`. Verify you can reach it: ```bash theme={null} curl -sI https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-code-releases/latest ``` An `HTTP/2 200` line means you reached the server. If you see no output, `Could not resolve host`, or a connection timeout, your network is blocking the connection. Common causes: * Corporate firewalls or proxies blocking `downloads.claude.ai` * Regional network restrictions: try a VPN or alternative network * TLS/SSL issues: update your system's CA certificates, or check if `HTTPS_PROXY` is configured If you're behind a corporate proxy, set `HTTPS_PROXY` and `HTTP_PROXY` to your proxy's address before installing. Ask your IT team for the proxy URL if you don't know it, or check your browser's proxy settings. This example sets both proxy variables, then runs the installer through your proxy: ```bash theme={null} export HTTP_PROXY=http://proxy.example.com:8080 export HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.example.com:8080 curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ``` ```powershell theme={null} $env:HTTP_PROXY = 'http://proxy.example.com:8080' $env:HTTPS_PROXY = 'http://proxy.example.com:8080' irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` ### Verify your PATH If installation succeeded but you get a `command not found` or `not recognized` error when running `claude`, the install directory isn't in your PATH. Your shell searches for programs in directories listed in PATH, and the installer places `claude` at `~/.local/bin/claude` on macOS/Linux or `%USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\claude.exe` on Windows. Check if the install directory is in your PATH by listing your PATH entries and filtering for `local/bin`: ```bash theme={null} echo $PATH | tr ':' '\n' | grep -Fx "$HOME/.local/bin" ``` If this prints `/Users/you/.local/bin` or `/home/you/.local/bin`, the directory is in your PATH and you can skip to [Check for conflicting installations](#check-for-conflicting-installations). If there's no output, add it to your shell configuration. For Zsh, the default on macOS: ```bash theme={null} echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc source ~/.zshrc ``` For Bash, the default on most Linux distributions: ```bash theme={null} echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc source ~/.bashrc ``` Alternatively, close and reopen your terminal. For other shells such as fish or Nushell, add `~/.local/bin` to your PATH using your shell's own configuration syntax, then restart your terminal. Verify the fix worked: ```bash theme={null} claude --version ``` ```powershell theme={null} $env:PATH -split ';' | Select-String '\.local\\bin' ``` If there's no output, add the install directory to your User PATH: ```powershell theme={null} $currentPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', 'User') [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('PATH', "$currentPath;$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin", 'User') ``` Restart your terminal for the change to take effect. Verify the fix worked: ```powershell theme={null} claude --version ``` ```batch theme={null} echo %PATH% | findstr /i "local\bin" ``` If there's no output, open System Settings, go to Environment Variables, and add `%USERPROFILE%\.local\bin` to your User PATH variable. Restart your terminal. Verify the fix worked: ```batch theme={null} claude --version ``` ### Check for conflicting installations Multiple Claude Code installations can cause version mismatches or unexpected behavior. Check what's installed: List all `claude` binaries found in your PATH: ```bash theme={null} which -a claude ``` If this prints nothing, no `claude` is on your PATH yet. Go back to [Verify your PATH](#verify-your-path). Check the three locations a `claude` binary can come from. `~/.local/bin/claude` is the native installer, `~/.claude/local/` is a legacy local npm install created by older versions of Claude Code, and the npm global list shows a `-g` install: ```bash theme={null} ls -la ~/.local/bin/claude ``` ```bash theme={null} ls -la ~/.claude/local/ ``` ```bash theme={null} npm -g ls @anthropic-ai/claude-code 2>/dev/null ``` List all `claude` binaries found in your PATH: ```powershell theme={null} where.exe claude ``` Check whether the native installer placed a binary: ```powershell theme={null} Test-Path "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin\claude.exe" ``` If you find multiple installations, keep only one. The native install at `~/.local/bin/claude` on macOS/Linux or `%USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\claude.exe` on Windows is recommended. Remove the extras: Uninstall an npm global install: ```bash theme={null} npm uninstall -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code ``` Remove the legacy local npm install: ```bash theme={null} rm -rf ~/.claude/local ``` On Windows, use PowerShell: ```powershell theme={null} Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude\local" ``` Remove a Homebrew install on macOS. If you installed the `claude-code@latest` cask, substitute that name: ```bash theme={null} brew uninstall --cask claude-code ``` Remove a WinGet install on Windows: ```powershell theme={null} winget uninstall Anthropic.ClaudeCode ``` ### Check directory permissions The installer needs write access to `~/.local/bin/` and `~/.claude/` on macOS and Linux. On Windows the install location is under `%USERPROFILE%`, which is writable by your user by default, so this section rarely applies there. Check whether the directories are writable: ```bash theme={null} test -w ~/.local/bin && echo "writable" || echo "not writable" test -w ~/.claude && echo "writable" || echo "not writable" ``` If either directory isn't writable, create the install directory and set your user as the owner: ```bash theme={null} sudo mkdir -p ~/.local/bin sudo chown -R $(whoami) ~/.local ``` ### Verify the binary works If `claude --version` prints a version but `claude` crashes or hangs on startup, run these checks to narrow down the cause. If `claude --version` says command not found, go to [Verify your PATH](#verify-your-path) first; the commands below assume `claude` is on your PATH. Confirm the binary exists and is executable: ```bash theme={null} ls -la "$(command -v claude)" ``` On Windows, use PowerShell: ```powershell theme={null} Get-Command claude | Select-Object Source ``` On Linux, check for missing shared libraries. If `ldd` shows missing libraries, you may need to install system packages. On Alpine Linux and other musl-based distributions, see [Alpine Linux setup](/en/setup#alpine-linux-and-musl-based-distributions). ```bash theme={null} ldd "$(command -v claude)" | grep "not found" ``` Confirm the binary can execute: ```bash theme={null} claude --version ``` ## Common installation issues These are the most frequently encountered installation problems and their solutions. ### Install script returns HTML instead of a shell script When running the install command, you may see one of these errors: ```text theme={null} bash: line 1: syntax error near unexpected token `<' bash: line 1: `' ``` On PowerShell, the same problem appears as: ```text theme={null} Invoke-Expression: Missing argument in parameter list. ``` This means the install URL returned an HTML page instead of the install script. If the HTML page says "App unavailable in region," Claude Code is not available in your country. See [supported countries](https://www.anthropic.com/supported-countries). Otherwise, this can happen due to network issues, regional routing, or a temporary service disruption. **Solutions:** 1. **Use an alternative install method**: On macOS, install via Homebrew: ```bash theme={null} brew install --cask claude-code ``` On Windows, install via WinGet: ```powershell theme={null} winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode ``` 2. **Retry after a few minutes**: the issue is often temporary. Wait and try the original command again. ### `command not found: claude` after installation The install finished but `claude` doesn't work. The exact error varies by platform: | Platform | Error message | | :---------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------- | | macOS | `zsh: command not found: claude` | | Linux | `bash: claude: command not found` | | Windows CMD | `'claude' is not recognized as an internal or external command` | | PowerShell | `claude : The term 'claude' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet` | This means the install directory isn't in your shell's search path. See [Verify your PATH](#verify-your-path) for the fix on each platform. ### `curl: (56) Failure writing output to destination` The `curl ... | bash` command downloads the script and pipes it to Bash for execution. This error means the connection broke before the script finished downloading. Common causes include network interruptions, the download being blocked mid-stream, or system resource limits. **Solutions:** 1. **Check network stability**: Claude Code binaries are hosted at `downloads.claude.ai`. Test that you can reach it: ```bash theme={null} curl -sI https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-code-releases/latest ``` An `HTTP/2 200` line means you reached the server and the original failure was likely intermittent; retry the install command. If you see `Could not resolve host` or a connection timeout, your network is blocking the download. 2. **Try an alternative install method**: On macOS: ```bash theme={null} brew install --cask claude-code ``` On Windows: ```powershell theme={null} winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode ``` ### TLS or SSL connection errors Errors like `curl: (35) TLS connect error`, `schannel: next InitializeSecurityContext failed`, or PowerShell's `Could not establish trust relationship for the SSL/TLS secure channel` indicate TLS handshake failures. **Solutions:** 1. **Update your system CA certificates**: On Ubuntu/Debian: ```bash theme={null} sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install ca-certificates ``` On macOS, the system curl uses the Keychain trust store; updating macOS itself updates the root certificates. 2. **On Windows, enable TLS 1.2** in PowerShell before running the installer: ```powershell theme={null} [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12 irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` 3. **Check for proxy or firewall interference**: corporate proxies that perform TLS inspection can cause these errors, including `unable to get local issuer certificate` and `SELF_SIGNED_CERT_IN_CHAIN`. For the install step, point curl at your corporate CA bundle with `--cacert`: ```bash theme={null} curl --cacert /path/to/corporate-ca.pem -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ``` For Claude Code itself once installed, set `NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS` so API requests trust the same bundle: ```bash theme={null} export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS=/path/to/corporate-ca.pem ``` Ask your IT team for the certificate file if you don't have it. You can also try on a direct connection to confirm the proxy is the cause. 4. **On Windows, bypass certificate revocation checks** if you see `CRYPT_E_NO_REVOCATION_CHECK (0x80092012)` or `CRYPT_E_REVOCATION_OFFLINE (0x80092013)`. These mean curl reached the server but your network blocks the certificate revocation lookup, which is common behind corporate firewalls. Add `--ssl-revoke-best-effort` to the install command: ```batch theme={null} curl --ssl-revoke-best-effort -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd ``` Alternatively, install with `winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode`, which avoids curl entirely. ### `Failed to fetch version from downloads.claude.ai` The installer couldn't reach the download server. This typically means `downloads.claude.ai` is blocked on your network. **Solutions:** 1. **Test connectivity directly**: ```bash theme={null} curl -sI https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-code-releases/latest ``` 2. **If behind a proxy**, set `HTTPS_PROXY` so the installer can route through it. See [proxy configuration](/en/network-config#proxy-configuration) for details. ```bash theme={null} export HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.example.com:8080 curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ``` 3. **If on a restricted network**, try a different network or VPN, or use an alternative install method: On macOS: ```bash theme={null} brew install --cask claude-code ``` On Windows: ```powershell theme={null} winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode ``` ### Wrong install command on Windows If you see `'irm' is not recognized`, `The token '&&' is not valid`, or `'bash' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet`, you copied the install command for a different shell or operating system. * **`irm` not recognized**: you're in CMD, not PowerShell. You have two options: Open PowerShell by searching for "PowerShell" in the Start menu, then run the original install command: ```powershell theme={null} irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` Or stay in CMD and use the CMD installer instead: ```batch theme={null} curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.cmd -o install.cmd && install.cmd && del install.cmd ``` * **`&&` not valid**: you're in PowerShell but ran the CMD installer command. Use the PowerShell installer: ```powershell theme={null} irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` * **`bash` not recognized**: you ran the macOS/Linux installer on Windows. Use the PowerShell installer instead: ```powershell theme={null} irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` ### `The process cannot access the file` during Windows install If the PowerShell installer fails with `Failed to download binary: The process cannot access the file ... because it is being used by another process`, the installer couldn't write to `%USERPROFILE%\.claude\downloads`. This usually means a previous install attempt is still running, or antivirus software is scanning a partially downloaded binary in that folder. Close any other PowerShell windows running the installer and wait for antivirus scans to release the file. Then delete the downloads folder and run the installer again: ```powershell theme={null} Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:USERPROFILE\.claude\downloads" irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` ### Install killed on low-memory Linux servers If you see `Killed` during installation on a VPS or cloud instance: ```text theme={null} Setting up Claude Code... Installing Claude Code native build latest... bash: line 142: 34803 Killed "$binary_path" install ${TARGET:+"$TARGET"} ``` The Linux OOM killer terminated the process because the system ran out of memory. Claude Code requires at least 4 GB of available RAM. **Solutions:** 1. **Add swap space** if your server has limited RAM. Swap uses disk space as overflow memory, letting the install complete even with low physical RAM. Create a 2 GB swap file and enable it: ```bash theme={null} sudo fallocate -l 2G /swapfile sudo chmod 600 /swapfile sudo mkswap /swapfile sudo swapon /swapfile ``` Then retry the installation: ```bash theme={null} curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ``` 2. **Close other processes** to free memory before installing. 3. **Use a larger instance** if possible. Claude Code requires at least 4 GB of RAM. ### Install hangs in Docker When installing Claude Code in a Docker container, installing as root into `/` can cause hangs. **Solutions:** 1. **Set a working directory** before running the installer. When run from `/`, the installer scans the entire filesystem, which causes excessive memory usage. Setting `WORKDIR` limits the scan to a small directory: ```dockerfile theme={null} WORKDIR /tmp RUN curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ``` 2. **Increase Docker memory limits** if using Docker Desktop: ```bash theme={null} docker build --memory=4g . ``` ### Claude Desktop overrides the `claude` command on Windows If you installed an older version of Claude Desktop, it may register a `Claude.exe` in the `WindowsApps` directory that takes PATH priority over Claude Code CLI. Running `claude` opens the Desktop app instead of the CLI. Update Claude Desktop to the latest version to fix this issue. ### Claude Code on Windows requires either Git for Windows (for bash) or PowerShell Claude Code on native Windows needs at least one shell: either [Git for Windows](https://git-scm.com/downloads/win) for Bash, or PowerShell. When neither is found, this error appears at startup. If only PowerShell is found, Claude Code uses the PowerShell tool instead of Bash. **If neither is installed**, install one: * Git for Windows: download from [git-scm.com/downloads/win](https://git-scm.com/downloads/win). During setup, select "Add to PATH." Restart your terminal after installing. * PowerShell 7: download from [aka.ms/powershell](https://aka.ms/powershell). **If Git is already installed** but Claude Code can't find it, set the path in your [settings.json file](/en/settings): ```json theme={null} { "env": { "CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH": "C:\\Program Files\\Git\\bin\\bash.exe" } } ``` If your Git is installed somewhere else, find the path by running `where.exe git` in PowerShell and use the `bin\bash.exe` path from that directory. ### Claude Code does not support 32-bit Windows Windows includes two PowerShell entries in the Start menu: `Windows PowerShell` and `Windows PowerShell (x86)`. The x86 entry runs as a 32-bit process and triggers this error even on a 64-bit machine. To check which case you're in, run this in the same window that produced the error: ```powershell theme={null} [Environment]::Is64BitOperatingSystem ``` If this prints `True`, your operating system is fine. Close the window, open `Windows PowerShell` without the x86 suffix, and run the install command again. If this prints `False`, you are on a 32-bit edition of Windows. Claude Code requires a 64-bit operating system. See the [system requirements](/en/setup#system-requirements). ### Linux musl or glibc binary mismatch If you see errors about missing shared libraries like `libstdc++.so.6` or `libgcc_s.so.1` after installation, the installer may have downloaded the wrong binary variant for your system. ```text theme={null} Error loading shared library libstdc++.so.6: No such file or directory ``` This can happen on glibc-based systems that have musl cross-compilation packages installed, causing the installer to misdetect the system as musl. **Solutions:** 1. **Check which libc your system uses**: ```bash theme={null} ldd --version 2>&1 | head -1 ``` Output mentioning `GNU libc` or `GLIBC` means glibc. Output mentioning `musl` means musl. 2. **If you're on glibc but got the musl binary**, remove the installation and reinstall. You can also manually download the correct binary using the manifest at `https://downloads.claude.ai/claude-code-releases/{VERSION}/manifest.json`. File a [GitHub issue](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues) with the output of `ldd --version` and `ls /lib/libc.musl*`. 3. **If you're actually on musl**, such as Alpine Linux, install the required packages: ```bash theme={null} apk add libgcc libstdc++ ripgrep ``` ### `Illegal instruction` If running `claude` or the installer prints `Illegal instruction`, the native binary uses CPU instructions your processor doesn't support. There are two distinct causes. **Architecture mismatch.** The installer downloaded the wrong binary, for example x86 on an ARM server. Check with `uname -m` on macOS or Linux, or `$env:PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE` in PowerShell. If the result doesn't match the binary you received, [file a GitHub issue](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues) with the output. **Missing AVX instruction set.** If your architecture is correct but you still see `Illegal instruction`, your CPU likely lacks AVX or another instruction the binary requires. This affects roughly pre-2013 Intel and AMD processors, and virtual machines where the hypervisor does not pass AVX through to the guest. On a VPS or VM, run `grep -m1 -ow avx /proc/cpuinfo`; an empty result means AVX is not available to the guest. There is no native-binary workaround; track [issue #50384](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/50384) for status, and include your CPU model from `grep -m1 "model name" /proc/cpuinfo` on Linux or `sysctl -n machdep.cpu.brand_string` on macOS when reporting. Alternative install methods download the same native binary and won't resolve either cause. ### `dyld: cannot load` on macOS If you see `dyld: cannot load`, `dyld: Symbol not found`, or `Abort trap: 6` during installation, the binary is incompatible with your macOS version or hardware. ```text theme={null} dyld: cannot load 'claude-2.1.42-darwin-x64' (load command 0x80000034 is unknown) Abort trap: 6 ``` A `Symbol not found` error that references `libicucore` also indicates your macOS version is older than the binary supports: ```text theme={null} dyld: Symbol not found: _ubrk_clone Referenced from: claude-darwin-x64 (which was built for Mac OS X 13.0) Expected in: /usr/lib/libicucore.A.dylib ``` **Solutions:** 1. **Check your macOS version**: Claude Code requires macOS 13.0 or later. Open the Apple menu and select About This Mac to check your version. 2. **Update macOS** if you're on an older version. The binary uses load commands and system libraries that older macOS versions don't support. Alternative install methods like Homebrew download the same binary and won't resolve this error. ### `Exec format error` on WSL1 If running `claude` in WSL prints `cannot execute binary file: Exec format error`, you're on WSL1 and hitting a known native-binary regression tracked in [issue #38788](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/38788). The binary's program headers changed in a way WSL1's loader can't handle. The cleanest fix is to convert your distribution to WSL2 from PowerShell: ```powershell theme={null} wsl --set-version 2 ``` If you need to stay on WSL1, invoke the binary through the dynamic linker. Add this function to `~/.bashrc` inside WSL, replacing the path if your home directory differs: ```bash theme={null} claude() { /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 "$(readlink -f "$HOME/.local/bin/claude")" "$@" } ``` Then run `source ~/.bashrc` and retry `claude`. ### npm install errors in WSL These issues apply if you installed Claude Code with `npm install -g` inside WSL. If you used the [native installer](/en/setup), skip this section. **OS or platform detection issues.** If npm reports a platform mismatch during install, WSL is likely picking up the Windows `npm`. Run `npm config set os linux` first, then install with `npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code --force`. Do not use `sudo`. **`exec: node: not found` when running `claude`.** Your WSL environment is likely using the Windows installation of Node.js. Confirm with `which npm` and `which node`: paths starting with `/mnt/c/` are Windows binaries, while Linux paths start with `/usr/`. To fix this, install Node via your Linux distribution's package manager or via [`nvm`](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm). **nvm version conflicts.** If you have nvm installed in both WSL and Windows, switching Node versions in WSL may break because WSL imports the Windows PATH by default and the Windows nvm takes priority. The most common cause is that nvm isn't loaded in your shell. Add the nvm loader to `~/.bashrc` or `~/.zshrc`: ```bash theme={null} export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm" [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" [ -s "$NVM_DIR/bash_completion" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/bash_completion" ``` Or load it in your current session: ```bash theme={null} source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh ``` If nvm is loaded but Windows paths still take priority, prepend your Linux Node path explicitly: ```bash theme={null} export PATH="$HOME/.nvm/versions/node/$(node -v)/bin:$PATH" ``` Avoid disabling Windows PATH importing via `appendWindowsPath = false` as this breaks the ability to call Windows executables from WSL. Similarly, avoid uninstalling Node.js from Windows if you use it for Windows development. ### Permission errors during installation If the native installer fails with permission errors, the target directory may not be writable. See [Check directory permissions](#check-directory-permissions). If you previously installed with npm and are hitting npm-specific permission errors, switch to the native installer: ```bash theme={null} curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash ``` ### Native binary not found after npm install The `@anthropic-ai/claude-code` npm package pulls in the native binary through a per-platform optional dependency such as `@anthropic-ai/claude-code-darwin-arm64`. If running `claude` after install prints `Could not find native binary package "@anthropic-ai/claude-code-"`, check the following causes: * **Optional dependencies are disabled.** Remove `--omit=optional` from your npm install command, `--no-optional` from pnpm, or `--ignore-optional` from yarn, and check that `.npmrc` does not set `optional=false`. Then reinstall. The native binary is delivered only as an optional dependency, so there is no JavaScript fallback if it is skipped. * **Unsupported platform.** Prebuilt binaries are published for `darwin-arm64`, `darwin-x64`, `linux-x64`, `linux-arm64`, `linux-x64-musl`, `linux-arm64-musl`, `win32-x64`, and `win32-arm64`. Claude Code does not ship a binary for other platforms; see the [system requirements](/en/setup#system-requirements). * **Corporate npm mirror is missing the platform packages.** Ensure your registry mirrors all eight `@anthropic-ai/claude-code-*` platform packages in addition to the meta package. Installing with `--ignore-scripts` does not trigger this error. The postinstall step that links the binary into place is skipped, so Claude Code falls back to a wrapper that locates and spawns the platform binary on each launch. This works but starts more slowly; reinstall with scripts enabled for direct execution. ## Login and authentication These sections address login failures, OAuth errors, and token issues. ### Reset your login When login fails and the cause isn't obvious, a clean re-authentication resolves most cases: 1. Run `/logout` to sign out completely 2. Close Claude Code 3. Restart with `claude` and complete the authentication process again If the browser doesn't open automatically during login, press `c` to copy the OAuth URL to your clipboard, then paste it into a browser manually. This also works when the URL wraps across lines in a narrow or SSH terminal and can't be clicked directly. ### OAuth error: Invalid code If you see `OAuth error: Invalid code. Please make sure the full code was copied`, the login code expired or was truncated during copy-paste. **Solutions:** * Press Enter to retry and complete the login quickly after the browser opens * Type `c` to copy the full URL if the browser doesn't open automatically * If using a remote/SSH session, the browser may open on the wrong machine. Copy the URL displayed in the terminal and open it in your local browser instead. ### 403 Forbidden after login If you see `API Error: 403 {"error":{"type":"forbidden","message":"Request not allowed"}}` after logging in: * **Claude Pro/Max users**: verify your subscription is active at [claude.ai/settings](https://claude.ai/settings) * **Anthropic Console users**: confirm your account has the "Claude Code" or "Developer" role. Admins assign this in the Anthropic Console under Settings → Members. * **Behind a proxy**: corporate proxies can interfere with API requests. See [network configuration](/en/network-config) for proxy setup. ### This organization has been disabled with an active subscription If you see `API Error: 400 ... "This organization has been disabled"` despite having an active Claude subscription, an `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` environment variable is overriding your subscription. This commonly happens when an old API key from a previous employer or project is still set in your shell profile. When `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` is present and you have approved it, Claude Code uses that key instead of your subscription's OAuth credentials. In non-interactive mode with the `-p` flag, the key is always used when present. See [authentication precedence](/en/authentication#authentication-precedence) for the full resolution order. To use your subscription instead, unset the environment variable and remove it from your shell profile: ```bash theme={null} unset ANTHROPIC_API_KEY claude ``` Check `~/.zshrc`, `~/.bashrc`, or `~/.profile` for `export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=...` lines and remove them to make the change permanent. On Windows, check your PowerShell profile at `$PROFILE` and your User environment variables for `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`. Run `/status` inside Claude Code to confirm which authentication method is active. ### OAuth login fails in WSL2, SSH, or containers When Claude Code runs in WSL2, on a remote machine over SSH, or inside a container, the browser usually opens on a different host and its redirect can't reach Claude Code's local callback server. After you sign in, the browser shows a login code instead of redirecting back automatically. Paste that code into the terminal at the `Paste code here if prompted` prompt to complete login. If the browser doesn't open at all from WSL2, set the `BROWSER` environment variable to your Windows browser path: ```bash theme={null} export BROWSER="/mnt/c/Program Files/Google/Chrome/Application/chrome.exe" claude ``` Alternatively, press `c` at the interactive login prompt to copy the OAuth URL, or copy the URL that `claude auth login` prints, and open it in a browser on your local machine. If pasting the code into the interactive prompt does nothing, your terminal's paste binding likely isn't reaching the input field. Try your terminal's alternate paste shortcut, often right-click or Shift+Insert in Windows Terminal, or use `claude auth login` instead, which reads the pasted code from standard input: ```bash theme={null} claude auth login ``` This fallback also applies on native Windows or any terminal where pasting into the interactive prompt fails. ### Not logged in or token expired If Claude Code prompts you to log in again after a session, your OAuth token may have expired. Run `/login` to re-authenticate. If this happens frequently, check that your system clock is accurate, as token validation depends on correct timestamps. On macOS, login can also fail when the Keychain is locked or its password is out of sync with your account password, which prevents Claude Code from saving credentials. Run `claude doctor` to check Keychain access. To unlock the Keychain manually, run `security unlock-keychain ~/Library/Keychains/login.keychain-db`. If unlocking doesn't help, open Keychain Access, select the `login` keychain, and choose Edit > Change Password for Keychain "login" to resync it with your account password. ### Bedrock, Vertex, or Foundry credentials not loading If you configured Claude Code to use a cloud provider and see `Could not load credentials from any providers` on Bedrock, `Could not load the default credentials` on Vertex, or `ChainedTokenCredential authentication failed` on Foundry, your cloud provider CLI is likely not authenticated in the current shell. For Bedrock, confirm your AWS credentials are valid: ```bash theme={null} aws sts get-caller-identity ``` For Vertex AI, confirm `ANTHROPIC_VERTEX_PROJECT_ID` and `CLOUD_ML_REGION` are set in your shell, then set application default credentials: ```bash theme={null} gcloud auth application-default login ``` For Microsoft Foundry, confirm `ANTHROPIC_FOUNDRY_API_KEY` is set, or sign in with the Azure CLI so the default credential chain can find your account: ```bash theme={null} az login ``` If credentials work in your terminal but not in the VS Code or JetBrains extension, the IDE process likely didn't inherit your shell environment. Set the provider environment variables in the IDE's own settings, or launch the IDE from a terminal where they're already exported. See [Amazon Bedrock](/en/amazon-bedrock), [Google Vertex AI](/en/google-vertex-ai), or [Microsoft Foundry](/en/microsoft-foundry) for full provider setup. ## Still stuck If none of the above resolves your issue: 1. Check the [GitHub repository](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues) for known issues, or open a new one with your operating system, the install command you ran, and the full error output 2. If `claude --version` works but something else is wrong, run `claude doctor` for an automated diagnostic report 3. If you can start a session, use `/feedback` inside Claude Code to report the problem