[BUG] Computer Use: `request_access` returns `not_installed` for all third-party apps on macOS

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?

The request_access tool in the computer-use MCP consistently returns not_installed for all third-party applications, even when the apps are confirmed to be installed, running, and have valid bundle identifiers.

macOS system apps (Notes, Calendar, etc.) are recognized correctly. Only third-party apps are affected.

Apps tested (all return not_installed): Claude Desktop, Slack, Google Chrome, Notion
Apps that work correctly: Notes, Calendar, other macOS system apps

Spotlight metadata is empty (possible root cause)

$ mdls -name kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier /Applications/Claude.app
kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier = (null)

This suggests the computer-use MCP may rely on Spotlight metadata to discover installed apps, which is incomplete on macOS 26.

What Should Happen?

request_access should recognize installed third-party apps and prompt the user for access permission, the same way it does for system apps like Notes and Calendar.

Error Messages/Logs

# request_access for Claude Desktop → not_installed
# request_access for Slack → not_installed
# request_access for Google Chrome → not_installed
# request_access for Notes → works (prompts user)



$ defaults read /Applications/Claude.app/Contents/Info.plist CFBundleIdentifier
com.anthropic.claudefordesktop

$ mdls -name kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier /Applications/Claude.app
kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier = (null)

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Code CLI: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
2. Start session: claude --computer-use
3. Call request_access for any third-party app (e.g. "Claude", "Slack")
4. Observe: returns not_installed
5. Call request_access for system app (e.g. "Notes") — works correctly

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

No, this never worked

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Latest (npm)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

Hypothesis

The computer-use MCP likely uses Spotlight metadata (kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier) to discover apps. On macOS 26, Spotlight doesn't index third-party apps correctly. Fallback to reading Info.plist directly could fix this.

Workaround attempts (all failed)

• Display name, bundle ID, osascript — all return not_installed

Related Issues

• #41190, #42404, #43547 — different failure modes of the same computer-use MCP subsystem

This issue is distinct: MCP connects successfully, request_access runs without error, but incorrectly reports third-party apps as not_installed.

Environment: macOS 26.2 Tahoe (25C56), Claude Code latest via npm