[BUG] Installer has issues if PATH environmental variable has already been set

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?

Downloading the installer shows an error message

<img width="1108" height="638" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/dd7efd13-1119-4fdc-a2a5-af115b03680b" />

Install fails and Claude keyword does not work

Manual workaround for others who run into this :

 Method 1: Using GUI (Recommended for most users)

1. Open Environment Variables:

• Press Win + R to open Run dialog
• Type sysdm.cpl and press Enter
• Click the Advanced tab
• Click Environment Variables button

1. Edit User PATH:

• In the User variables section (top half), find and select Path
• Click Edit

1. Add the directory:

• Click New
• Add: C:\Users\<username>\.local\bin
• Click OK on all windows

1. Apply changes:

• Close and reopen any terminal windows (PowerShell, CMD, Git Bash, etc.)
• The new PATH will be available

  Method 2: Using PowerShell (Quick)

  Run PowerShell as Administrator and execute:

  [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable(
      "Path",
      [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User") + ";C:\Users\<username>\.local\bin",
      "User"
  )

What Should Happen?

Claude installer should properly prepare the PATH variable and install properly

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

install with PATH already used. In my case it was previously used for several other things including a python install.

Had to manually add the C:\Users\mattloc24\.local\bin and the problem was resolved

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.131 (Claude Code)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

_No response_