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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Feature Request] Configurable default working directory for Claude Code (desktop app & CLI)

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Add a defaultWorkingDirectory setting to ~/.claude/settings.json that sets the starting working directory when Claude Code launches — both in the desktop app's Code/Cowork tabs and in new CLI sessions.

Root Cause

Add a defaultWorkingDirectory setting to ~/.claude/settings.json that sets the starting working directory when Claude Code launches — both in the desktop app's Code/Cowork tabs and in new CLI sessions.

Code Example

{
  "defaultWorkingDirectory": "C:/Users/pbaumer/OneDrive - Dovetail Custom Woodworks/Desktop/Dovetail/CLAUDECOWORK"
}
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Summary

Add a defaultWorkingDirectory setting to ~/.claude/settings.json that sets the starting working directory when Claude Code launches — both in the desktop app's Code/Cowork tabs and in new CLI sessions.

Current Behavior

  • The CLI always opens in whatever directory the terminal is currently in.
  • The desktop app's Code and Cowork tabs open in an app-determined directory with no way to configure it.
  • There is no defaultWorkingDirectory (or equivalent) field in the settings.json schema.

Desired Behavior

A setting in ~/.claude/settings.json such as:

{
  "defaultWorkingDirectory": "C:/Users/pbaumer/OneDrive - Dovetail Custom Woodworks/Desktop/Dovetail/CLAUDECOWORK"
}

This would cause every new Claude Code session — whether launched from the desktop app tabs or the CLI — to start in that directory automatically.

Use Case

Users who always work in a specific project folder should not need to navigate there manually each session. This is especially relevant for the desktop app's Code and Cowork tabs, which have no equivalent to a terminal's "Start in" shortcut property and no accessible config file to configure this behavior.

Platform

  • Windows 10 Pro
  • Claude desktop app (MSIX package)
  • Claude Code CLI v2.1.138

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claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix [Feature Request] Configurable default working directory for Claude Code (desktop app & CLI)