[BUG] Code and Cowork tabs missing after auto-update — Claude Desktop 1.2581.0, macOS, Max plan
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?
Hi Anthropic Support,
I'm reporting a bug where the Code and Cowork tabs have completely disappeared from Claude Desktop after an automatic update.
Environment:
- Claude Desktop: 1.2581.0 (f10398)
- Device: MacBook Air M1, 2020
- OS: macOS Tahoe 26.3
- Plan: Max
Symptoms:
- Only the Chat tab is visible. Code and Cowork tabs are gone.
- This happened after an automatic update. No changes were made on my end.
Troubleshooting steps already taken:
- Quit and relaunched the app
- Full uninstall and reinstall from claude.com/download
- Manually deleted all Claude data: Application Support, Caches, Preferences, session folders
- Verified "You are running the latest version" in the app
- None of the above resolved the issue
Relevant error from ~/Library/Logs/Claude/main-window.log:
[error] Unable to load preload script: .../mainWindow.js
[error] Preload script failed to execute: 'mainWindow.js' reply was never sent
[error] Uncaught ReferenceError: process is not defined
Note: cowork_vm_node.log shows no errors — the VM loads successfully. The issue appears to be in the Desktop app's UI initialization, not the underlying VM or Code binary.
Please investigate. I rely on Code and Cowork for daily work and have exhausted all local troubleshooting options.
Best regards,
Șerban Dinu
serban.dinu@romo.ro
What Should Happen?
Code and Cowork tabs should appear in the top navigation bar alongside the Chat tab, as they did prior to the automatic update.
Error Messages/Logs
From ~/Library/Logs/Claude/main-window.log:
[error] Unable to load preload script: /Applications/Claude.app/Contents/Resources/app.asar/.vite/build/mainWindow.js
[error] Preload script failed to execute: 'mainWindow.js' reply was never sent
[error] Uncaught ReferenceError: process is not defined
Note: cowork_vm_node.log shows no errors — VM loads successfully. Issue is in Desktop UI initialization.
Steps to Reproduce
- Launch Claude Desktop 1.2581.0 (f10398) on macOS Tahoe 26.3, MacBook Air M1
- Observe: only the Chat tab is visible — Code and Cowork tabs are missing
- Quit and relaunch the app — same result
- Full uninstall, manual deletion of all Claude data (Application Support,
Caches, Preferences, session folders), fresh reinstall from claude.com/download
- Relaunch — same result. Only Chat tab visible.
Claude Model
Sonnet (default)
Is this a regression?
Yes, this worked in a previous version
Last Working Version
The tabs were visible and working on April 14, 2026. They disappeared after an automatic update overnight. Last known working version is unknown — the app auto-updated without notification.
Claude Code Version
Claude Desktop: 1.2581.0 (f10398)
Platform
Anthropic API
Operating System
macOS
Terminal/Shell
Terminal.app (macOS)
Additional Information
_No response_
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