[BUG] Desktop app back arrows (top of page and just underneath if in customize menu) behave differently

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?

After opening Claude desktop, and maybe navigating into Customize, an additional back arrow is presented, which, if followed, returns me to a different instance of Claude with a different look and a different list of Recents. Here's what Claude had to say about the issue:

This looks like a genuine bug in Claude Desktop, not expected behaviour. Here's what's likely happening:

The two back arrows do different things:

• Top of screen (←) — this is Electron's window-level navigation history. It goes back within the desktop app's own routing, returning you to where you were in the desktop app interface.
• Circled arrow (next to "Customize") — this is an in-app UI button that appears to be navigating Electron's Chromium browser history, which can include a different browsing context — possibly the claude.ai web interface loaded in a separate layer, or a different app state/account session that was previously active.

The "different Recents, font, style" you're seeing is the giveaway — that sounds like you're being dropped into the web version of Claude (claude.ai) running inside the Electron shell, rather than the native desktop app interface.

Is it a bug? Almost certainly yes. The in-app back arrow next to "Customize" should return you to your current conversation/home screen, not to an entirely different interface. The two navigation mechanisms should agree.

Worth reporting at [github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues) — or if it's the Desktop app specifically (not Claude Code), through the feedback option in the app itself (usually via the ... menu). Include the screenshot you shared — it's a clear reproduction case.

In the meantime: just use the top-of-screen arrow as your workaround.

What Should Happen?

I believe that both back arrows should trigger the same behaviour - or perhaps simply remove the errant back arrow, leaving the single navigation back arrow at the very top of the page?

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Open desktop app.
Start a chat - just to make sure there's something in "Recents".
Navigate to "Customize".
Use the back arrow next to the left of the word "Customize" at the top of the page.
You should be in a different Claude instance than the one you just left!

Claude Model

Sonnet (default)

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

1.7196.0

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Windows Terminal

Additional Information

_No response_