[BUG] Claude Desktop VM bundle uses 11.3 GB — requesting optimization.

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?

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Claude Desktop VM bundle uses 11.3 GB — requesting optimization.

Path: AppData\Local\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc\LocalCache\Roaming\Claude\vm_bundles\claudevm.bundle

File sizes:

• rootfs.vhdx: 8.8 GB (extracted)
• rootfs.vhdx.zst: 2.1 GB (compressed, kept after extraction)
• initrd: 169 MB (extracted)
• initrd.zst: 165.6 MB (compressed, kept after extraction)
• vmlinuz: 14.3 MB (extracted)
• vmlinuz.zst: 14 MB (compressed, kept after extraction)

Requests:

1. Delete .zst files after extraction to save ~2.3 GB immediately
2. Optimize the overall VM image size (11.3 GB is heavy for a desktop app)
3. Add an option to disable the VM/computer-use feature for users who only need Claude Code CLI, to reduce storage footprint

App version: 1.1617.0.0 (Windows, installed April 9, 2026)

What Should Happen?

After the VM bundle is extracted, the compressed .zst files (rootfs.vhdx.zst, initrd.zst, vmlinuz.zst) should be automatically deleted to save ~2.3 GB. Ideally, the overall VM image should also be optimized to reduce the total 11.3 GB footprint. Additionally, users who only need Claude Code CLI should have the option to skip or remove the VM component entirely.

Error Messages/Logs

N/A — This is a storage optimization feedback, not an error report. See description for full file size breakdown.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Desktop app on Windows (v1.1617.0.0)
2. Open Settings → Apps & features → Claude → check storage usage (shows 12.2 GB)
3. Navigate to: %LocalAppData%\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc\LocalCache\Roaming\Claude\vm_bundles\claudevm.bundle
4. Observe both compressed (.zst) and extracted versions of the same files exist side by side:

• rootfs.vhdx (8.8 GB) + rootfs.vhdx.zst (2.1 GB)
• initrd (169 MB) + initrd.zst (165.6 MB)
• vmlinuz (14.3 MB) + vmlinuz.zst (14 MB)

1. Total VM bundle: 11.3 GB, with ~2.3 GB wasted on redundant compressed files

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

1.1617.0.0

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

_No response_