[BUG] Claude Desktop ARM64 (MSIX): GPU process crashes on launch (exitCode 101457950), app exits — persists across GPU driver update and clean reinstall

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?

Claude Desktop on Windows ARM64 (Snapdragon X Elite) crashes on every
launch. The window flashes briefly, then all Claude processes exit.
main.log ends every time with the identical entry:

GPU process gone: {
type: 'GPU',
reason: 'crashed',
exitCode: 101457950,
serviceName: 'GPU'
}

Immediately before the crash, one launch also logged:
Sentry caught: { eventId: '131b4c6d671046c0b0ce41faea594089',
type: 'Unknown', value: 'No message', stack: undefined }

Everything in main.log prior to the GPU crash looks normal (updater
check, MSIX filesystem virtualization active, MCP server registered,
growthbook features loaded). One launch progressed far enough to
create IndexedDB data for https_claude.ai before the GPU process
died, so the renderer briefly loaded web content.

Systematically ruled out:

1. GPU driver: identical crash with identical exitCode on

• Adreno 31.0.57.0 (OEM driver, 05/2024) and
• Adreno 31.0.152.1 (Qualcomm UGD, 05/2026, WHQL-signed),

each tested after full reboot. Driver verified active via
Win32_VideoController.

1. Corrupt installation: full Remove-AppxPackage + deletion of the

entire package folder (%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc)

• reinstall from MSIX in elevated shell. Get-AppxPackage Status: Ok.

Crash identical after clean reinstall.

1. Stale MSIX: fresh download from claude.com/download has identical

SHA256 to the installed package — the crash is in the current release.

1. Windows HDR: disabled.

Additional notes:

• --disable-gpu cannot be tested by the user: direct exe launch from

WindowsApps is blocked by ACL ("Zugriff verweigert"), and
Invoke-CommandInDesktopPackage fails with 0x80073CFC both before
and after the clean reinstall. A hardware-acceleration toggle that
is reachable/persisted before first render would make this class
of bug diagnosable and survivable for end users.

• CoworkVMService itself runs fine (named pipe server listening,

waits for 'configure' from the app, which never arrives because
the app dies first). Service log shows warnings:
"Failed to load vmcompute.dll" and "HcnEnumerateNetworks failed
with HRESULT 0x800706d9" (Virtual Machine Platform not enabled
on this device).

• Windows Error Reporting shows no Application Error entry for

Claude.exe — the app exits without a native crash, consistent
with the main process shutting down after the GPU process dies.

Related issues (same platform/symptom family): #25929, #28270, #28353

What Should Happen?

The app window should open and remain usable after launch.

If the GPU process fails to initialize, the app should fall back to
software rendering (e.g. SwiftShader) instead of terminating, or at
minimum surface an error dialog and persist a setting to disable
hardware acceleration on the next launch. Currently the GPU process
crash takes the entire app down on every launch, with no user-
accessible recovery path on MSIX (command-line flags cannot be
passed to the packaged app).

Error Messages/Logs

App window opens and remains usable; if the GPU process fails,
the app should fall back to software rendering instead of exiting.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Microsoft Surface laptop with Snapdragon X Elite (X1E80100),

Windows 11 Build 26100.8521

1. Install Claude.msix (arm64, 226,655,881 bytes, app version

1.12603.1.0) via Add-AppxPackage in elevated PowerShell

1. Launch Claude from the Start menu
2. Window flashes briefly; all processes exit within seconds
3. Check %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc\LocalCache\

Roaming\Claude\logs\main.log — last entry is "GPU process gone"
with exitCode 101457950

Claude Model

Opus

Is this a regression?

No, this never worked

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

N/A — Claude Code CLI not installed. This report concerns the Claude Desktop app (version 1.12603.1.0, arm64 MSIX).

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

Device: Microsoft Surface (13.8"), Snapdragon X Elite X1E80100,
Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU (ARM64)
OS: Windows 11, OS Build 26100.8521
GPU driver: Adreno 31.0.152.1 (2026-05-23, WHQL) — crash identical
on 31.0.57.0
App: Claude Desktop 1.12603.1.0 (arm64 MSIX), SignatureKind: Developer,
PackageFamilyName: Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc
Display: internal panel, HDR off