Anthropic releases major desktop update for Claude Code

Anthropic has released a desktop update for Claude Code. The new version features a redesigned sidebar, integrated terminal, and tools for managing multiple tasks. The launch comes amid growing user complaints about the model's performance on complex engineering workflows.

Users have reported issues in recent days. Many say Claude follows instructions less reliably, takes shortcuts, and makes more errors. Stella Laurenzo, AMD's Director of AI, stated the tool has become "unusable" for certain development tasks. Yet the update does not directly fix these core performance concerns.

The focus is on workflow efficiency. A new sidebar groups active and recent sessions in one panel. It supports filtering by status, project, or environment. Sessions archive automatically when a pull request closes, keeping the workspace clean and up to date.

The app now supports lateral chats using ⌘ + ; on Mac or Ctrl + ; on Windows. These chats inherit context from the main conversation but don’t affect the original thread. Developers can ask quick questions without breaking their main task flow.

Key tools are now built in. The app includes a terminal for running tests or builds, a file editor with direct save, and a rebuilt diff viewer optimized for large change sets. These features reduce the need to switch between applications.

• Plugins work consistently across desktop and CLI environments
• Organizations can manage plugins uniformly
• SSH support is now available on macOS, joining Linux
• Remote machine sessions can be accessed from either platform

The interface offers three view modes: Detailed, Normal, and Summary. Each reveals a different level of agent action transparency. New keyboard shortcuts help switch and create sessions. A real-time usage button shows current resource consumption.

Yet the update does not directly fix these core performance concerns.