[BUG] Cowork VM connection timeout — Windows 11 Home ARM64

[evelyn81310-netizen]

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Description:
Cowork fails to start with "VM connection timeout after 60 seconds" on every attempt. All standard troubleshooting has been completed without resolution.
System info:

Windows 11 Home, ARM64
Claude Desktop v1.2278.0.0 (arm64)

Troubleshooting already completed:

Restarted app and computer multiple times
Reinstalled workspace via in-app option
Installed WSL2 (Default Version: 2, Ubuntu)
Manually restarted CoworkVMService via PowerShell
Ran wsl --shutdown to clear stuck VM

Log findings (cowork_vm_node.log):
VM boots successfully (vm_boot completed in 136ms, add_plan9_shares completed), but guest agent never responds. Host times out after 60 seconds waiting for guest connection:
[VM:steps] vm_boot completed (136ms)
[VM:steps] add_plan9_shares completed (15ms)
[VM:start] Still waiting for guest connection... 10261ms elapsed
[VM:start] Still waiting for guest connection... 51185ms elapsed
[VM:error] Connection timeout, last completed step: add_plan9_shares
[VM:error] Startup failed: Error: VM connection timeout after 60 seconds
This appears to be the known ARM64 + Windows Home compatibility issue referenced in GitHub issues #42784, #44007, and #46516. Please advise on a fix or timeline for ARM64 support.

What Should Happen?

Cowork workspace should start successfully and connect to the VM guest agent, allowing task execution in the desktop environment.

Error Messages/Logs

[VM:steps] vm_boot completed (136ms)
[VM:steps] add_plan9_shares completed (15ms)
[VM:start] Still waiting for guest connection... 10261ms elapsed
[VM:start] Still waiting for guest connection... 51185ms elapsed
[VM:error] Connection timeout, last completed step: add_plan9_shares
[VM:error] Startup failed: Error: VM connection timeout after 60 seconds

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open Claude Desktop on Windows 11 Home ARM64
2. Click on the Cowork tab
3. Observe error: "Failed to start Claude's workspace — VM connection timeout after 60 seconds"
4. Error persists regardless of how many times the workspace is reopened

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

No, this never worked

Last Working Version

No response

Claude Code Version

1.2278.0.0

Platform

Other

Operating System

Windows

Terminal/Shell

PowerShell

Additional Information

This is a Claude Desktop Cowork issue, not Claude Code CLI.

Device: Windows 11 Home ARM64
Troubleshooting completed:

• Restarted app and computer multiple times
• Reinstalled workspace via in-app option
• Installed WSL2 (Default Version: 2, Ubuntu)
• Manually restarted CoworkVMService via PowerShell
• Ran wsl --shutdown to clear stuck VM

VM boots successfully but guest agent never responds. Related issues: #42784, #44007, #46516.

[github-actions]

Found 3 possible duplicate issues:

1. [BUG] Cowork VM guest connection timeout on ARM64 Windows (Snapdragon X Plus) - never connects #46183
2. [BUG] Cowork ARM64: VM boots but guest never connects — "VM connection timeout after 60 seconds #39161
3. [BUG] [BUG] Cowork VM fails to start on Windows ARM64 (Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge, Snapdragon) #40198

This issue will be automatically closed as a duplicate in 3 days.

• If your issue is a duplicate, please close it and 👍 the existing issue instead
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🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically closed as a duplicate of #46183.

If this is incorrect, please re-open this issue or create a new one.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.