Claude Desktop App - Free Anthropic Claude Client for Mac, Windows & Linux

Claude Desktop App - Askimo Claude Client

Looking for a Claude desktop app? Askimo is a free, open-source Claude desktop client that works seamlessly on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Unlike the official Claude app, Askimo gives you a powerful Anthropic Claude desktop application with advanced features, all-in-one AI chat, and complete control over your AI conversations.

Using Askimo with a team?

There are two ways your team can access AI through Askimo today:

Available now

Bring your own key

Each team member adds their own API keys in Askimo. Keys are encrypted and stored locally on their machine. Best for individuals and small groups who want full independence.

Available now

Shared AI Gateway

Run an OpenAI-compatible gateway on a shared server. Each user connects Askimo with just a URL, with no personal API keys required. The real keys stay on the server with central spend control. See an example setup using LiteLLM.

Coming soon

Askimo Team

A native team edition with shared workspaces and collaboration features is in development. Learn more.

Why Choose Askimo as Your Claude App?

• Free & Open Source - No subscription required for the desktop client
• Cross-Platform - Works on macOS, Windows, and Linux
• All-in-One AI Chat - Use Claude alongside OpenAI, Gemini, and more
• Privacy-Focused - Your conversations stay on your device
• Advanced Features - Custom directives, RAG, chat search, and themes

Setting Up Claude in Askimo Desktop App

Connect Askimo to Anthropic’s Claude models for advanced reasoning and long-context conversations.

API Configuration

• API Key: Your Anthropic API key (required)
  • Get your key from console.anthropic.com
• Default Model: Choose from:
  • Latest Claude models - Most capable, balanced
  • Compact Claude models - Fast and efficient
• API Version: API version (default: 2023-06-01)
• Timeout: Request timeout in seconds (default: 60s)

Setting Up Your API Key

1. Visit Anthropic Console
2. Sign in or create an account
3. Navigate to “API Keys”
4. Click “Create Key”
5. Copy the key
6. Paste it into Askimo’s Claude API Key field
7. Click “Test Connection” to verify

Context Window

Claude models support very large context windows (up to 200K tokens), making them ideal for long documents and extended conversations.

Accessing Provider Settings

1. Click on the menu bar
2. Select “Settings”
3. Navigate to the “AI Providers” tab
4. Select “Anthropic Claude” from the provider list

Keyboard Shortcut: ⌘ + , (macOS) or Ctrl + , (Windows/Linux) then click “AI Providers”

Troubleshooting

Connection Failed?

• Verify your API key is correct
• Check that your API key has the necessary permissions
• Ensure your account has available credits
• Try increasing the timeout for large responses

Rate Limiting?

• Claude has different rate limits based on your plan
• Check the Anthropic pricing page for details
• Consider upgrading your plan for higher limits