Claude Desktop Setup

Configure QCode.cc as a third-party inference gateway in Claude Desktop's developer mode and share a single QCode quota across all your tools

title: "Claude Desktop Setup" description: "Configure QCode.cc as a third-party inference gateway in Claude Desktop's developer mode and share a single QCode quota across all your tools"

Claude Desktop Setup¶

Claude Desktop is Anthropic's official desktop application (Windows / macOS / Linux), a local alternative to the claude.ai web app for handling PowerPoint, Excel, document, and MCP workflows. The desktop app recently added a Configure Third-Party Inference entry point that lets you point any Anthropic-compatible gateway as the inference backend without signing in to an Anthropic account. This guide shows how to wire QCode.cc into Claude Desktop so you can skip the Pro subscription and reuse your existing QCode quota.

Why Use a Third-Party API¶

• Save on Pro: Run desktop PowerPoint / Excel / MCP workflows against your QCode plan instead of paying for Pro separately
• Unlock Cowork: Claude Cowork (sandbox + Skills + MCP + file operations) was originally a Pro / Team feature — once you connect QCode.cc you can use Cowork without a Pro subscription. See the Cowork section below
• Unified quota: Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex CLI, and Gemini CLI all draw from the same QCode API Key
• Full model matrix: The QCode.cc gateway exposes 25+ models across Anthropic (Opus 4.7, Sonnet 4.6, Haiku 4.5), OpenAI, and Google Gemini
• Team rollout: The configuration panel can Export a JSON profile that you push to team members via Jamf, Intune, or Group Policy

Prerequisites¶

• Claude Desktop installed (official download, Windows / macOS / Linux)
• A QCode.cc API Key (starts with cr_), available from the dashboard
• Windows 10/11 users: a first-time install may prompt you to enable Virtual Machine Platform and reboot (one-time only)

Configuration Steps¶

Step 1: First Launch — Do Not Sign In¶

Tip: in the signed-out state, the menu button in the top-left corner may not respond to clicks. Click into the email input field to give it focus, then press Tab to jump to the menu button and hit Enter to open it.

Step 2: Enable Developer Mode¶

Click Menu → Help → Troubleshooting → Enable Developer Mode.

Once enabled, a new Developer entry appears in the top menu bar.

Step 3: Open Third-Party Inference Configuration¶

Click Menu → Developer → Configure Third-Party Inference....

Step 4: Fill In Gateway Credentials¶

In the Connection section, select Gateway (Anthropic-compatible) mode and fill in the fields as shown:

Do not add a trailing / to the base URL — Claude Desktop appends /v1/messages, /v1/models, and other paths automatically.

Step 5: Apply the Configuration¶

Click Apply locally in the bottom-right corner. The configuration is written to your machine and takes effect immediately, and the model dropdown will auto-populate with the 25+ models exposed by QCode.cc. Open a new conversation in the main window to start using it.

Choosing the Gateway base URL¶

Note: Pick the endpoint that matches your location:

For the full endpoint reference, protocol paths, and geo-routing rules, see Endpoints and API Paths.

Notes on the Model List¶

Under normal conditions, Claude Desktop calls /v1/models and the dropdown populates automatically with the full list. No extra steps are needed.

If the dropdown stays empty (rare, depends on the environment), you can populate it manually:

1. In the configuration panel, click Export ▾ → Open in file manager and locate the Claude Desktop JSON config
2. Add an inferenceModels array to the JSON:

{
  "inferenceProvider": "gateway",
  "inferenceGatewayBaseUrl": "https://asia.qcode.cc/api",
  "inferenceGatewayApiKey": "cr_xxxxxxxx",
  "inferenceModels": [
    "claude-opus-4-7",
    "claude-sonnet-4-6",
    "claude-haiku-4-5"
  ]
}

1. Save and fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop (not just close the window)

Team Deployment (MDM)¶

The Export ▾ button in the bottom-right corner exports the current configuration as JSON, which pairs with enterprise MDM tools for bulk rollout — no manual setup per team member:

• macOS: push a user-level configuration profile via Jamf or Mosyle
• Windows: push to %APPDATA%\Claude\ via Intune or Group Policy
• Linux: write to ~/.config/Claude/ via Ansible or Puppet

For detailed MDM integration, follow the official Anthropic documentation.

Shared Quota¶

Claude Desktop, the Claude Code CLI, the Codex CLI, and the Gemini CLI all use the same QCode.cc API Key and share the same plan quota. Signing in from multiple clients does not double-bill you. See Billing for the full pricing rules.

Claude Cowork¶

Claude Cowork is the collaborative sandbox mode in Claude Desktop. It lets Claude execute Skills, run MCP servers, read and write local files, and run shell commands inside an isolated Linux environment — well suited for PPT / Excel / PDF processing, batch file work, and code-sandbox style flows. Cowork was previously oriented at Pro / Team subscribers.

Anthropic now officially supports running Cowork against a third-party inference gateway. Once you have followed this guide, QCode.cc users can use Cowork without a Pro subscription.

What you can do once QCode is connected¶

• Run Skills: use the Cowork sandbox to drive the official Skills library (PowerPoint, Excel, PDF, image processing, etc.), with Opus 4.7 / Sonnet 4.6 from QCode underneath
• MCP workflows: load MCP servers (local files, GitHub, custom tools) inside Cowork and have them collaborate with QCode-hosted models
• File and terminal operations: Claude reads and writes files and runs shell commands inside the sandbox — great for cleaning up dumped text, batch renaming, running scripts
• Shared quota: Cowork inference draws from your QCode plan, sharing the same balance with Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini CLI

Boundaries and tips¶

• Some connectors still require an Anthropic account: higher-level connectors such as Google Drive or Notion may still need an Anthropic sign-in. See the official support article for the authoritative list
• Pick a model: inside a Cowork task, manually pick claude-opus-4-7 or claude-sonnet-4-6 rather than relying on the default
• First launch: the Cowork sandbox downloads a runtime (a few hundred MB) on first use — be patient

Limitations and Differences¶

• The claude.ai web app is not supported: third-party API support is a Desktop-only feature; the browser still routes to your Anthropic account
• Windows first-time enable: may prompt you to enable Virtual Machine Platform and reboot (one-time only)

FAQ¶

The model dropdown is empty¶

1. Check that the base URL has no trailing /
2. Confirm the API Key is complete and starts with cr_
3. If it is still empty, follow "Notes on the Model List" and populate inferenceModels manually in the JSON

401 Unauthorized error¶

1. The API Key must start with cr_ and have no leading or trailing whitespace
2. Verify at qcode.cc/dashboard that the key is still valid
3. Leave Gateway auth scheme as the default bearer — do not switch to x-api-key

Difference between "Apply locally" and "Export"¶

• Apply locally: writes to the local config file and takes effect immediately for the current user
• Export: exports a JSON file for team MDM rollout or backup

Can I run the desktop app and the CLI at the same time?¶

Yes. Claude Desktop and the Claude Code / Codex CLI each read their own configuration independently (the desktop app reads its own JSON; the CLI reads ~/.claude/settings.json or ~/.codex/config.toml). They share the same QCode API Key and quota without conflict.

How does this relate to CC Switch?¶

CC Switch manages base URL and credential switching for CLI tools (Claude Code, Codex, etc.); Claude Desktop runs its own developer-mode configuration independently. The two target different client form factors and operate separately.

Next Steps¶

• Endpoints and API Paths — Full reference for QCode.cc's three protocols and four ingress domains
• Claude Code Tutorial — Master the CLI workflow end-to-end
• CC Switch Setup — Manage multiple CLI base URLs from one app
• Billing — Understand plans and quota