Critical UX Failure – Claude Desktop App: Beta Rollout Without Opt-in

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?

The Claude Desktop App launches directly into Claude Design Beta mode without any warning. There is no switch back, no keyboard shortcut, no menu navigation. Returning to normal chat requires a full uninstall including registry cleanup.

This is a fundamental UX failure: a beta feature is set as default without user consent. In professional environments this costs working time, creates IT overhead and destroys trust in the product.

My personal assessment as an IT professional: Anyone on my team responsible for a rollout of this quality would feel it in their paycheck. Poor performance has consequences.

Expected behavior: Normal chat on startup. Claude Design accessible via a clearly labeled menu – at the user's discretion.

Tested on: Windows 11, claude.exe from %LOCALAPPDATA%\AnthropicClaude\

What Should Happen?

This is a fundamental UX failure: a beta feature is set as default without user consent. In professional environments this costs working time, creates IT overhead and destroys trust in the product.

Error Messages/Logs

nothing errormessage

Steps to Reproduce

The Claude Desktop App launches directly into Claude Design Beta mode without any warning. There is no switch back, no keyboard shortcut, no menu navigation. Returning to normal chat requires a full uninstall including registry cleanup.

Claude Model

Other

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

latest

Claude Code Version

Latest

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

Other

Additional Information

<img width="1200" height="799" alt="Image" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/3f05ed1c-e7a5-47ad-b2b2-241aa6722189" />