Sign in
The CLI is installed, but it doesn't know who you are yet. It needs to connect to your Claude account before it can do anything. That's a one-time sign-in. Type:
claude auth login
Two things happen:
- Your web browser opens to a Claude sign-in page. If you're already signed in to Claude there, it may just show a confirmation screen.
- The page asks you to approve the CLI's access. You click approve.
That's it. The browser shows a "you can close this tab" message, you go back to the terminal, and the CLI is now signed in as you.
You can also just type claude and start a session; if you've never
signed in, it walks you through the same flow on first run. Either way
gets you to the same place.
You won't be asked for an API key or a card
If you've read anything about using AI tools "through an API," you may be bracing for an API key, a billing setup, a credit card. For signing in as an individual, none of that. You sign in with the same Claude account you use in the browser. Your existing plan covers it.
API keys are a real thing and they have real uses, mostly for running this stuff on servers or inside other programs, and the next step explains where they fit. But for you, on your own machine, today: a browser sign-in with your normal account, and you're in.
Run claude auth login now and complete the browser step. The next
two steps explain what that sign-in actually set up.
Sign in
The CLI is installed, but it doesn't know who you are yet. It needs to connect to your Claude account before it can do anything. That's a one-time sign-in. Type:
claude auth login
Two things happen:
- Your web browser opens to a Claude sign-in page. If you're already signed in to Claude there, it may just show a confirmation screen.
- The page asks you to approve the CLI's access. You click approve.
That's it. The browser shows a "you can close this tab" message, you go back to the terminal, and the CLI is now signed in as you.
You can also just type claude and start a session; if you've never
signed in, it walks you through the same flow on first run. Either way
gets you to the same place.
You won't be asked for an API key or a card
If you've read anything about using AI tools "through an API," you may be bracing for an API key, a billing setup, a credit card. For signing in as an individual, none of that. You sign in with the same Claude account you use in the browser. Your existing plan covers it.
API keys are a real thing and they have real uses, mostly for running this stuff on servers or inside other programs, and the next step explains where they fit. But for you, on your own machine, today: a browser sign-in with your normal account, and you're in.
Run claude auth login now and complete the browser step. The next
two steps explain what that sign-in actually set up.