FEATURE: Multi-window support in Claude Code Desktop

[rysupaudio-lab]

Feature Request

Claude Code Desktop should support opening multiple windows within a single app instance.

Current Behavior

• Desktop is a single-window app with a sidebar-based session manager
• You can create multiple sessions, but can only view one at a time by clicking between them in the sidebar
• The only way to view two sessions side by side is to launch a second app instance via open -n -a "Claude", which doubles memory usage

Requested Behavior

• Ability to open a new window (e.g., Cmd+N or File > New Window) within the same app instance
• Each window can display a different session
• This allows users to view and work on two sessions side by side without the overhead of running multiple app instances

Why This Matters

• Side-by-side comparison of sessions is a common workflow (e.g., referencing one session's output while working in another)
• Running two full app instances just to see two sessions is wasteful on memory
• Every major productivity app (browsers, editors, terminals, Finder) supports multiple windows — this is table stakes UX
• The sidebar session switcher works for managing sessions, but forcing single-window view limits productivity

Workarounds (all suboptimal)

1. open -n -a "Claude" — works but doubles memory usage
2. Desktop + CLI terminal side by side — inconsistent experience
3. Desktop + claude.ai/code in browser — fragmented workflow
4. Rapidly clicking between sidebar sessions — defeats the purpose of parallel work

Environment

• macOS (Darwin 25.3.0)
• Claude Code Desktop (latest)

This feels like a no-brainer feature for a desktop app that already supports multiple parallel sessions. The infrastructure is there — just need the ability to pop a session into its own window.

[github-actions]

Found 1 possible duplicate issue:

1. [FEATURE] Detachable OS-level windows in desktop app for split screen #27725

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[cpinto]

This would be fantastic!

[moto-pu]

+1 on this feature request. I want to expand on why parallel operation is so critical, not just convenient.

The core ask: true parallel multi-window + split-pane

Beyond split-pane view, I want to be able to launch multiple independent windows simultaneously — each running different tasks in parallel at the same time. Use cases include:

• Referencing output from one session while actively working in another
• Running separate tasks concurrently (research, coding, writing) without context-switching
• Comparing outputs side by side in real time

Parallel operation is a game-changer — and Claude Code CLI already does it

This is not a nice-to-have. Parallel operation dramatically expands what is possible with Claude. The ability to run multiple agents or conversations simultaneously is one of the most powerful productivity multipliers available.

Here is what makes this frustrating: Claude Code (CLI) already supports this. You can run multiple claude processes in separate tmux panes or terminal windows and work on completely different tasks in parallel. That capability exists today in the terminal.

But Claude Desktop — the GUI product aimed at broader audiences — cannot do this. That is a significant regression in capability. Power users who rely on Claude daily are being pushed back to the CLI just to get parallel workflows.

The gap should not exist

Claude Desktop is Electron-based, so multi-window support is technically straightforward. The infrastructure for multiple sessions already exists. This feature would close a real gap between what Claude can do in the terminal vs. what it can do in the desktop GUI — and for many users, that gap is the difference between a tool that transforms their workflow and one that merely assists it.

Parallel execution is not just a UX improvement. It is a fundamental capability unlock. Please prioritize this.

[david-shortman]

Yes please- tabs, windows, whatever. Claude is powerful and now that it actually does agentic work, I find I want to work on parallel streams of different tasks instead of just sitting waiting on one. And I work across the Chat, Cowork, and Code modes in the same sitting session, so I'd love to have tabs or windows or a faster way to navigate between them (can't help but mention the performance of the macOS app is quite laggy navigating around on my M4 Pro with 48 GB RAM)

[geerttennapel]

Yes please!

[onekiller89]

I would love this, just went searching to see if this was available already. As much as I love Boris, I do not want to be running multiple TMUX windows haha

[bdracker]

+1 — and I'd like to extend this request specifically to Cowork (not just Claude Code sessions).

As a non-developer power user on the Max plan, I rely heavily on Cowork for multi-step tasks like file organization, document generation, and research synthesis. My main pain point: I cannot run multiple Cowork tasks in parallel.

What I've tried:
• Switching between tasks in the sidebar → previous task gets interrupted
• Launching a second instance via open -n -a "Claude" → active Cowork session immediately exits ("Finishing up... Cowork is taking a moment to cleanly exit")

What I'd like:
• Ability to run 2-3 independent Cowork tasks simultaneously, each in its own window or tab
• Tasks should continue running in the background when I navigate to another task

This would be a major productivity unlock for business users who use Cowork as their primary agentic workflow tool. The in-task queue is helpful but doesn't solve the problem of genuinely independent workstreams.