[BUG] Desktop app: File path links show pointer cursor but are not clickable

Resolved 💬 2 comments Opened Jun 24, 2026 by smallcraftstudio Closed Jun 28, 2026

What's Wrong?

In the Claude Code desktop app (Windows 11), when Claude's response includes file path links (e.g., markdown links to local .md files like [figma-components.md](C:\Users\...\figma-components.md)), the rendered link shows a pointer/hand cursor on hover — indicating it's clickable — but clicking does nothing.

This creates a confusing UX:

  1. The hand cursor signals "this is interactive" but the click is silently swallowed
  2. The link text often shows just the filename (not the full path), so the user can't even copy the full path from the visible text
  3. The file types involved are harmless .md files, not executables — there's no security reason to block opening them

This was observed on Windows 11 Enterprise (10.0.26200), Claude Code desktop app, using Claude Opus 4.6.

What Should Happen?

Clicking a file path link in the desktop app should open the file in the system's default application (e.g., VS Code, Notepad, or the OS default for .md files). This is standard behavior for file:// links.

If opening files is intentionally blocked for security reasons:

  1. Don't show a pointer/hand cursor — use the default text cursor so it's clear the link isn't interactive
  2. Show the full file path in the link text (or on hover) so the user can at least copy-paste it
  3. Consider allowing safe file types (.md, .txt, .json, .yaml) while blocking executables (.exe, .bat, .ps1)

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Open the Claude Code desktop app on Windows 11
  2. Start a conversation and ask Claude to create or edit a .md file (or any local file)
  3. Claude responds with a markdown link to the file, e.g. [figma-components.md](C:\Users\...\figma-components.md)
  4. Hover over the link in Claude's response — observe the pointer/hand cursor appears, suggesting the link is clickable
  5. Click the link — nothing happens. No file opens, no error, no feedback. The click is silently swallowed.
  6. Note that the link text shows only the filename (e.g. figma-components.md), not the full path, so you can't even copy the full path from the visible text.

Additional Information

  • Claude Model: Opus
  • Claude Code Version: 2.1.186
  • Platform: Anthropic API
  • Operating System: Windows 11 Enterprise (10.0.26200)
  • Terminal/Shell: N/A — this bug is in the Claude Code desktop app (Electron), not the CLI

The file path links appear as standard markdown links in Claude's response text. The pointer cursor on hover strongly suggests they are intended to be clickable, but clicking does nothing. At minimum, the cursor style should match the actual behavior.

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