[BUG] Cowork requests macOS accessibility permission on Windows 10, resulting in "x-apple.systempreferences" error

Resolved 💬 3 comments Opened Apr 23, 2026 by paraschivescu Closed Apr 27, 2026

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?

  • App version: Claude 1.3883.0 (93ff6c) 2026-04-21T17:24:01.000Z
  • OS: Windows 10
  • Interface: Claude Desktop App

What's Wrong?
When setting up Cowork on Windows 10 and clicking the button to grant mouse and keyboard (accessibility) permissions, the app throws the following error:

You'll need a new app to open this x-apple.systempreferences link

This is a macOS-specific URL scheme used to open System Preferences. The app appears to be triggering the macOS permission request flow regardless of the operating system, rather than using the appropriate Windows flow.

Additional Notes
The Windows 10 Privacy & Security settings do not include an Accessibility section (unlike Windows 11), so there is currently no manual workaround available for affected users. The setup process cannot be completed.

What Should Happen?

Expected Behaviour
Clicking the permission request button on Windows should either open the relevant Windows settings or guide the user through the correct Windows-specific permission grant process.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Install Claude Desktop on Windows 10
  2. Open Cowork and begin the setup process
  3. When prompted, click the button to request mouse and keyboard (accessibility) access
  4. Observe the error: "You'll need a new app to open this x-apple.systempreferences link"

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Claude 1.3883.0 (93ff6c) 2026-04-21T17:24:01.000Z

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

Additional Notes
The Windows 10 Privacy & Security settings do not include an Accessibility section (unlike Windows 11), so there is currently no manual workaround available for affected users. The setup process cannot be completed.

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