[BUG] CoWork Not functioning, Virtualization not Available, Windows 11 Home 25H2

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?

Followed all of the instructions from Claude and tweaked all of the settings it asked for:

Good news: you don't need to manually set up the virtual machine (VM) for Cowork — it's handled automatically! Here's what happens and how to get started:
How the VM Works
Cowork runs in a virtual machine (VM) on your computer, providing a controlled, isolated environment separate from your main OS where Claude executes tasks safely. Claude The first time you launch Cowork, the app downloads a Linux virtual machine (~2GB), which may take several minutes depending on your connection. Subsequent sessions start much faster. Claude Cowork Guide
Prerequisites
You'll need: the Claude Desktop app for Windows (available at claude.com/download), a paid Claude subscription (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise), and an active internet connection throughout the session. Claude
Steps to Get Started

Check compatibility — If you want to verify your PC will support Cowork before installing, Anthropic provides a simple downloadable program that runs a Cowork readiness check. If you see "This computer is ready for Cowork," you're good to go. Claude
Download & install — Get the latest Claude Desktop for Windows from claude.com/download.
Access Cowork — Open Claude Desktop, look for the mode selector that includes "Chat" and the Cowork tab, then click the "Cowork" tab to switch to Tasks mode. Claude
First launch — The VM will download and set up automatically. Just wait for it to complete.
Grant folder access — In Cowork Settings, click "Add Folder" or "Grant Access" and select the folders you want Claude to work with (e.g., Documents, Downloads, or a specific project folder). It's best to only grant access to folders you actually need. Claude Cowork Guide

One Thing to Keep in Mind
The Claude Desktop app must remain open while Claude is working. If you close the app, your session will end. Claude
If you see the message "Setting up Claude's workspace" when starting Cowork, that's completely normal — it just means Cowork is updating to the most recent version. Claude
Let me know if you run into any issues during setup!1:33 PMThe user prompt is empty, so I cannot determine the primary language. However, based on the thinking block alone, here is a summary:

Synthesized troubleshooting steps for a widespread technical issueThe user prompt is empty, so I cannot determine the primary language. However, based on the thinking block alone, here is a summary:

Synthesized troubleshooting steps for a widespread technical issueI can see the error: "Virtualization is not available — Claude's workspace requires Virtual Machine Platform, but the virtualization service isn't responding."
Here's how to fix it, in order:

Step 1: Restart your computer
The error itself suggests this. If you haven't already, do a full restart (not just sleep/wake) and reopen Cowork.

Step 2: Enable Virtual Machine Platform in Windows Features
If restarting didn't help:

Press Windows + R, type optionalfeatures, and hit Enter
In the list, check all three of these:

✅ Virtual Machine Platform
✅ Windows Hypervisor Platform
✅ Hyper-V (and both sub-options, if shown)

Click OK and let Windows apply the changes
Restart when prompted

Step 3: Enable virtualization in your BIOS/UEFI
If it still doesn't work, the issue may be at the hardware level:

Restart your PC and enter BIOS (usually F2, Del, or F10 on startup — depends on your PC brand)
Find the CPU/Advanced settings and enable Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) or AMD-V
Save and exit (F10)

Step 4: Enable via PowerShell (as Administrator)
If the above steps don't stick, open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
powershellEnable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName VirtualMachinePlatform
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName HypervisorPlatform
bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto
Then restart.

⚠️ Known Bug Note
If you've done all of the above and still see this error, you're not alone — this is a known bug that has been reported by many users across Windows 10 and 11, even with all virtualization features fully enabled. It's been tracked in multiple GitHub issues. The recommended action in that case is to submit feedback using the feedback button in the Claude Desktop app so Anthropic can investigate your specific system configuration.
What version of Windows are you running (Windows 10 or 11, and Home/Pro)?To run code, enable code execution and file creation in Settings > Capabilities.I found all but the Hyper-V option1:35 PMDiagnosed missing feature as Windows Home edition limitationDiagnosed missing feature as Windows Home edition limitationThat's a strong sign you're running Windows Home edition — Hyper-V is not available on Windows Home, only on Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
The good news is that for Cowork, Hyper-V is not strictly required. Make sure the two options you did find are both checked:

✅ Virtual Machine Platform
✅ Windows Hypervisor Platform

Check both, click OK, and restart your PC. That should be enough for Cowork to initialize its VM on Windows Home.
If after restarting you still see the same error, it's worth checking which exact edition of Windows you have:

Press Windows + R, type winver, and hit Enter
It will show your Windows edition and build number

Let me know what it says and we can go from there!Issue still persists, and Windows 11 Home Version 25H21:40 PMInvestigated known bug and identified troubleshooting stepsInvestigated known bug and identified troubleshooting stepsUnfortunately, this matches a known bug that Anthropic is actively tracking, where Windows 11 Home users see this error even after enabling all the available virtualization features. Here's what you can still try:

Try 1: Reinstall Claude Desktop as Administrator

Fully uninstall Claude Desktop
Download the latest version from claude.com/download
Right-click the installer and select "Run as administrator"
Restart after install, then try Cowork again

Try 2: Check if the CoworkVMService is running

Press Windows + R, type services.msc, hit Enter
Scroll down and look for "Claude" or "CoworkVMService"
If it's there but not running, right-click it and select Start
If its Startup Type is Manual, right-click → Properties → change Startup Type to Automatic

Try 3: Run this in PowerShell (as Administrator)
powershellbcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto
Then restart your PC.

If none of that works
This is genuinely a bug on Anthropic's end. The best thing you can do is:

Click the feedback button inside Claude Desktop to report it directly to Anthropic
Or file a bug report at github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues — include your Windows edition (Windows 11 Home 25H2) so they can track it

Anthropic is aware of this issue across multiple Windows versions, so a fix is likely coming in a future Claude Desktop update.

What Should Happen?

Claude should determine what the actual issue is for Windows 11 Home to enable Cowork.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Downloaded and installed Claude as Administrator

Went through the setup time for Cowork to set up

Issue persists even after troublshooting.

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

No, this never worked

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Claude 1.1617.0 (8d6345) 2026-04-09T16:10:15.000Z

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

_No response_