Desktop (Windows): "Select folder" button inconsistently opens OS folder dialog vs. recent projects list
Description
In the Claude Code desktop app on Windows, the folder button above the prompt input behaves inconsistently when starting a new session. Sometimes it opens the Windows folder-open dialog, sometimes it shows the list of recently used projects. There is no way to predict or control which one appears.
All of my projects are already in the recent list, so the folder dialog is never what I want -- but I get it most of the time. I end up clicking around until the recent list eventually shows up.
Expected behavior
The button should have one predictable behavior. Ideally: show the recent projects list first, with an explicit "Browse..." entry for picking a folder that is not yet in the list.
Actual behavior
The same button triggers either the Windows folder picker or the recent projects list, seemingly at random.
Steps to reproduce
- Start a new session in the Claude Code desktop app on Windows
- Click the folder button above the prompt input
- Observe: sometimes the Windows folder dialog, sometimes the recent projects list
- Repeat -- the behavior changes between attempts
Environment
- Claude Code desktop app (Windows)
- Windows 11 Pro
- App version: latest release as of 2026-08-06 (updated immediately before filing this report)
Related
Possibly related to #56688 (working directory locked to a different folder than selected) and #36175 (no option to select project directory for a new session).