Desktop app: no option to select project directory when creating a new session
Preflight Checklist
- [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
- [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
- [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code
What's Wrong?
When clicking "New session" in the Claude Code Desktop app, there is no option to select the working directory for the new session. The app always opens a new session with the previously used directory, with no UI element (button, folder picker, or any other control) to change it.
Users who work on multiple projects have no way to switch between project directories from within the Desktop app. The only workaround is to use the CLI (claude command from terminal), but the Desktop app provides no equivalent functionality.
What Should Happen?
When clicking "New session", the Desktop app should allow the user to select which project directory (working directory) to use for the session — via a folder picker dialog or a project selector UI, similar to how VS Code opens a workspace.
Error Messages/Logs
Steps to Reproduce
- Open Claude Code Desktop app
- 2. Click "New session" in the sidebar
- 3. Observe that a new chat opens immediately with no option to choose a project directory
- 4. The session uses the previously used directory with no way to change it from the UI
Claude Model
None
Is this a regression?
No, this never worked
Last Working Version
_No response_
Claude Code Version
Desktop app (version unknown, CLI not installed)
Platform
Anthropic API
Operating System
macOS
Terminal/Shell
Terminal.app (macOS)
Additional Information
_No response_
3 Comments
I’m hitting this exact issue and it’s a showstopper. I just upgraded to the Max plan specifically to use Claude Code Desktop as my primary development tool, and I can’t switch between projects.
I manage a portfolio of 5+ websites, each in its own GitHub repo, each with its own tech stack and CLAUDE.md configuration. These are completely separate codebases — not a monorepo, not microservices, just independent projects. My workflow requires moving between them throughout the day.
Right now the Desktop app locks onto whichever project folder was used last. There’s no folder picker, no project selector, and the project folder pill doesn’t let me change it. The only workaround is dropping into the terminal CLI, which defeats the purpose of the Desktop app — especially since the Desktop app has built-in features (preview panel, visual diffs, Dispatch) that aren’t available in the terminal.
I’ve evaluated every alternative:
∙ VS Code extension: Can switch projects via separate windows, but has well-documented history persistence bugs (see #22900, #12872, #13872) and no built-in preview panel.
∙ Terminal CLI: Works fine for multi-project, but I’m paying for Max specifically to get the Desktop GUI experience.
∙ Competing tools (Codex, Cursor): Support project switching natively but lack Claude’s code quality.
This is particularly frustrating because the Desktop app already supports multiple parallel sessions with Git worktree isolation — the infrastructure for multi-project work is clearly there. What’s missing is simply the ability to point a new session at a different folder.
Suggested fix: When clicking “+ New session”, show a folder picker dialog (or at minimum, a recents list of previously used project directories). This is standard behavior in every IDE and code editor.
For anyone who develops across multiple repositories — which is most professional developers — this is not a nice-to-have. It’s table stakes.
I was able to solve this problem, by tapping the "Plan Mode" drop down, and then it would finally let me change everything! According to the docs:
https://code.claude.com/docs/en/desktop#start-a-session
It should be possible to do exactly what we wanted, and it turns out that we CAN. I don't know why it was stuck before (perhaps it was disabled only in colour in the dropdown, but it can actually be changed despite the colour of the text!). I can click on the "+ New Session" properly, too. There was a software update to Claude very recently, so it could have been fixed by that, or just a misunderstanding of the menus.
So, this issue should probably be marked "Solved", as I've verified that I can create new projects in new sessions.
This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.