[BUG] /desktop still fails on Windows MSIX installs (Claude Code 2.1.150, Claude Desktop 1.8555.2.0)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues — this is a recurrence report for a long-running unfixed bug. See Related below.
• [x] This is a single bug report.
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code.

What's Wrong?

/desktop continues to fail on Windows when Claude Desktop is installed as an MSIX/Appx package — which is the default delivery method for every user installing today from https://claude.ai/download.

This is a recurring report. Prior duplicates:

• #36079 (auto-closed by stale-bot 2026-04-16, locked 2026-04-23)
• #59692 (refile of #36079, still OPEN)
• #59824 (Windows /desktop fail, OPEN)
• #59883 (Windows Store/MSIX-specific report, OPEN)
• #61194 (filed 2026-05-21, auto-closed as duplicate 2026-05-22)

Filing again because the bug is still reproducible on the very latest Claude Code (2.1.150) and Claude Desktop (1.8555.2.0) shipped this week, and no fix has landed.

What Should Happen?

/desktop opens Claude Desktop and hands off the current session.

A ShellExecute("claude://...") fallback would resolve every MSIX install in one line — the protocol handler is registered correctly by the MSIX manifest, only the CLI's path/registry detection is broken. See #59692's "Suggested Fix" section.

Error Messages/Logs

> /desktop
Error: Failed to open Claude Desktop. Please try opening it manually.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install Claude Desktop on Windows from https://claude.ai/download (delivered as MSIX).
2. Confirm install: Get-AppxPackage Claude returns Claude_1.8555.2.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc.
3. Confirm URI activation works: Start-Process "claude://" opens the app cleanly.
4. Run /desktop in Claude Code CLI → fails every time with the message above.

Working alternatives on the same machine (proves the install is healthy)

• Start-Process "claude://" → opens the app
• Start-Process "shell:AppsFolder\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc!Claude" → opens the app
• Start menu shortcut → opens the app

Diagnostic Evidence

• MSIX package present: Get-AppxPackage Claude → Claude_1.8555.2.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc at C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Claude_1.8555.2.0_x64__pzs8sxrjxfjjc.
• AUMID: Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc!Claude.
• Protocol handler works via Start-Process "claude://".
• No Claude.exe under %LocalAppData%\Programs\Claude, %LocalAppData%\AnthropicClaude, %ProgramFiles%\Claude, %ProgramFiles(x86)%\Claude.
• No Claude* entry in HKLM\…\Uninstall or HKCU\…\Uninstall.
• No HKCR:\claude\shell\open\command key.

This matches the diagnostic evidence in #59692 exactly.

Claude Code Version

2.1.150

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows 11 Home 10.0.26200

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell 7

Additional Information

The bug has now been reported and confirmed by at least five independent Windows users across #36079, #59692, #59824, #59883, and #61194. Each report has the same root cause (MSIX install + Win32-era launcher detection) and the same one-line fix is suggested across all of them: fall back to ShellExecute("claude://...") when the existing path/registry detection misses. Filing this fresh report to put a current data point on the tracker rather than reviving a closed/locked thread.