Use Claude Code’s non-interactive print mode: claude -p "your prompt here". A Windows shortcut can launch a shell or script that runs this command, so Claude Code returns the response without entering its interactive terminal session or opening the Claude desktop app.
The exact shortcut Target and “Start in” values depend on whether Claude Code is installed in WSL or used natively through Git for Windows. Anthropic documents the command and supported Windows environments, but does not publish one universal .lnk recipe. Verify the command in your own shell first, then make the shortcut call that same shell command with the intended working directory.
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What the shortcut actually runs
This workflow uses Claude Code, Anthropic’s command-line tool. It is different from a shortcut to a conversation in the Claude desktop application. In print mode, Claude Code accepts one prompt, sends it for processing, prints the result, and exits instead of opening an interactive Claude Code session.
Anthropic’s CLI reference states: “Use claude -p for non-interactive mode.” The basic form is:
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claude -p "your prompt here"For example:
claude -p "Summarize the README in this project"The command must be available in the shell launched by the shortcut. If Claude Code is installed in WSL, the shortcut must reach the WSL environment. If it is installed for native Windows use with Git for Windows, the shortcut must launch the relevant Git Bash environment. A shortcut that works in one shell can fail in another because each shell has its own executable path, environment variables, permissions, and current directory.
For command syntax and available flags, see Anthropic’s Claude Code CLI reference.
Prerequisites on Windows
Before creating a shortcut, complete the normal Claude Code installation and sign-in process. Anthropic’s setup guide lists these Windows requirements and supported arrangements:
| Requirement | What it means for the shortcut |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 or later | The documented Windows platform baseline. |
| WSL 1, WSL 2, or Git for Windows | Claude Code runs in WSL or through a native Windows setup using Git Bash. The shortcut must invoke the environment where the claude command is installed. |
| At least 4 GB of RAM | Anthropic’s published system requirement. |
| Node.js 18 or later | Install the supported Node.js version before relying on a shortcut. |
| Internet access | Authentication and AI processing require a network connection. |
| An Anthropic-supported country | Availability depends on Anthropic’s current geographic support. |
Anthropic documents authentication through Anthropic Console, the Claude app for eligible Pro or Max subscribers, and enterprise deployments through Amazon Bedrock or Google Vertex AI. Your account route, billing arrangement, and country eligibility must be valid before a one-click command can work.
Choose the Windows environment first
WSL
WSL is appropriate if your projects, development tools, and shell commands already live in a Linux distribution on Windows. Install Claude Code inside the WSL distribution you intend to use, authenticate there, and confirm that the command works from that distribution. The shortcut then needs to launch a command in that same WSL environment and, when relevant, select the project directory that contains the files your prompt references.
Native Windows with Git Bash
Git for Windows provides Git Bash, the shell environment Anthropic documents for native Windows use. Install and authenticate Claude Code in Git Bash, then test the print-mode command there. If Git is installed in a portable location rather than its usual installation directory, Anthropic says to set CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH to the location of bash.exe. The shortcut must inherit that setting or define it before invoking Claude Code.
Anthropic says Claude Code works best in Bash, Zsh, or Fish. A Windows shortcut may start a different shell or a different environment from the one you used interactively, so do not assume that a command found in one terminal will automatically be found by the shortcut.
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Test the one-shot command before making a shortcut
Testing first separates Claude Code problems from Windows shortcut problems. Open the same shell in which you installed Claude Code and run the following checks.
- Run
claude --helpor another harmless CLI help command to confirm that the executable is available. - Run a minimal print-mode request such as
claude -p "Reply with the word ready". - Confirm that a response is printed and that the command returns to the shell prompt rather than entering an interactive session.
- Change to the project directory the shortcut should use and repeat the test with a prompt that refers to a file in that directory.
- Record which shell opened the command successfully, the executable location used by that shell, and any environment variables it required.
If the command fails here, creating a shortcut will not fix it. Resolve installation, authentication, PATH, network, or permission issues in the shell first.
Build a shortcut around the verified command
Windows shortcuts can launch programs, scripts, or shell commands. The dependable pattern is to keep the prompt and command in a small launcher script, test that script in the intended shell, and then create a shortcut to the launcher. This avoids retyping long quoted prompts in the shortcut wizard and makes later edits easier.
Use a launcher script for a fixed prompt
Create a script in the environment where your tested command works. Put the exact print-mode command in it, using the prompt you want to run repeatedly. For example, the command inside the script can be:
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteclaude -p "Summarize the current project status and list open risks"Run the script directly from its shell and verify the output. Keep prompts with quotation marks, ampersands, parentheses, or line breaks inside the script rather than trying to encode them manually in a .lnk argument field. Shell quoting rules differ, and the official documentation does not provide a universal Windows shortcut quoting recipe.
Create the Windows shortcut
- Open File Explorer, locate the tested launcher, and use Windows’ shortcut creation command, or right-click the launcher and choose the option to create a shortcut when it is available.
- Place the shortcut on the desktop, Start menu, taskbar, or another location convenient for the workflow.
- Open the shortcut’s Properties and inspect the Target and “Start in” fields.
- Ensure the Target invokes the same shell or launcher that succeeded during testing. Do not substitute a different shell merely because its executable is easier to browse to.
- Set “Start in” to the project directory when the prompt needs relative paths or local files. If the command does not depend on a project, use the directory appropriate for your script and permissions.
- Apply the changes and run the shortcut. The expected result is a shell process that executes print mode, displays the response, and exits or remains visible according to the launcher’s behavior.
Anthropic’s documentation does not specify one exact value for a Windows .lnk Target, one exact “Start in” path, or one quoting scheme that works for every WSL and Git Bash installation. Treat those fields as installation-specific. If the shortcut opens a shell but cannot find claude, use the shell executable and environment that passed the earlier test, or call the launcher script that already establishes that environment.
Keep the result visible
A shortcut that launches a command window may close as soon as Claude Code finishes. If you need to read or copy the response, use a launcher that leaves the shell window open after the command completes, or redirect the output to a file using the facilities of your chosen shell. The appropriate syntax depends on that shell; test it manually before placing it behind the shortcut.
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Choose an output format
Print mode defaults to human-readable output, but the CLI reference documents three output formats. Select one based on what happens after the shortcut runs.
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| Format | Use it when | Command option |
|---|---|---|
| Text | A person will read the response in the terminal or in a captured text file. | --output-format text |
| JSON | Another program, script, or automation step will parse a complete structured response. | --output-format json |
| Stream JSON | A consumer needs structured events as they are produced rather than one final object. | --output-format stream-json |
For example, a script intended for a human can use:
claude -p "Explain the error in this project" --output-format textUse JSON or stream JSON only when the next step is prepared to parse that format; otherwise the output can look confusing even though the command succeeded.
Control turns, models, tools, and permissions deliberately
Start with the smallest command that meets the need. The CLI reference also documents options including --max-turns, --model, --allowedTools, --disallowedTools, and permission modes.
Limit the amount of work
Use --max-turns when a shortcut should perform a bounded task rather than continue through many tool-use turns. Choose a limit that matches the prompt and check the result for incomplete work; a low limit can stop a useful task before it finishes.
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The --model option can pin a model for a workflow that requires a specific model choice. If the shortcut does not need a fixed model, omit the option so normal account and CLI defaults apply.
Restrict tool access
Use --allowedTools and --disallowedTools to constrain what the command may use. This is especially important for shortcuts that run against a working directory containing private code, credentials, or files that should not be changed. Define the narrowest access that still completes the task.
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Do not bypass permissions just to make the shortcut silent
The CLI reference includes --dangerously-skip-permissions and labels it for cautious use. Do not add it merely because a shortcut is inconvenient when an approval prompt appears. A non-interactive process may not have a person available to review a destructive action, so bypassing permissions can turn a one-click launcher into an uncontrolled file or system operation.
If a non-interactive workflow needs a defined way to handle permission prompts, the reference documents --permission-prompt-tool for specifying an MCP tool. Configure that behavior intentionally and test it with a harmless task before using it on important files.
Make the working directory part of the design
Many prompts are meaningful only in a particular repository or folder. A shortcut launched from the desktop may otherwise start in a system directory, the script’s directory, or another shell-dependent location. Set the shortcut’s working directory to the project location when the prompt refers to relative paths, source files, or local configuration.
For a shortcut that should work across several projects, use separate launchers or separate shortcuts rather than relying on an implicit current directory. Give each one a descriptive name, such as “Summarize API project,” and keep its prompt tied to the directory it was tested against. This prevents a correct command from operating on the wrong files.
Troubleshoot by symptom
“claude” is not recognized
The shortcut is using a shell whose PATH does not contain the Claude Code installation. Reopen the shell used during the successful manual test, confirm the command there, and make the shortcut invoke that same environment. For portable Git installations, check the documented CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH setting and ensure the shortcut inherits it.
The shortcut opens, then closes immediately
The command may have completed successfully while the window closed, or it may have failed before displaying useful output. Run the launcher directly from the tested shell, then adjust the launcher so its output remains visible or is written to a file. Do not diagnose the result from a disappearing window alone.
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The command starts in the wrong folder
Set the shortcut’s “Start in” value to the intended project directory, or have the launcher change directory before calling claude -p. Verify the behavior manually in the same shell because WSL paths and Windows paths are represented differently.
The prompt is split or altered
Nested quotation marks and shell metacharacters can be interpreted by the shortcut, the Windows command layer, and the target shell. Keep complex prompt text in the tested launcher script. Simplify the prompt temporarily to confirm that the shortcut itself works, then add the full wording back and retest.
Claude Code asks for an approval that no one can provide
The task requires an interactive permission decision. Narrow the requested operation, configure allowed and disallowed tools, or use the documented permission-prompt mechanism instead of adding --dangerously-skip-permissions. A shortcut should not silently grant broader access than the task requires.
Authentication or network errors appear
Run the command interactively in the same environment to confirm the account is authenticated and the machine can reach Anthropic’s services. Check that the account route is eligible and that you are in a supported country. A Windows shortcut does not remove those account or connectivity requirements.
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WSL and Git Bash: how to choose
| Decision point | WSL | Git Bash |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | You already develop and store projects inside a Linux distribution on Windows. | You want a native Windows workflow with Git for Windows and Bash-compatible commands. |
| Executable visibility | The claude command must be installed and on PATH inside the selected WSL distribution. |
The command must be available in Git Bash; portable Git may require CLAUDE_CODE_GIT_BASH_PATH. |
| Working-directory concern | Use the correct Linux path for files inside WSL and account for Windows-to-WSL path conversion. | Use the path form recognized by the Git Bash environment launched by the shortcut. |
| Shortcut caveat | The shortcut must reach the intended distribution and shell rather than a different Windows command prompt. | The shortcut must launch the same Git Bash installation and environment used during testing. |
Anthropic’s setup documentation supports both arrangements but does not establish that one is universally more reliable for shortcuts. Choose the environment that already contains your projects and tools, then test the exact shell invocation your shortcut will use.
A safe operating checklist
- Claude Code is installed and authenticated in the shell the shortcut will launch.
- The manual command
claude -p "test prompt"succeeds before shortcut creation. - The launcher uses the intended working directory.
- The prompt is quoted and stored in a script when it contains complex punctuation.
- The output format matches the person or program consuming the response.
- Tool access is restricted when the task does not need broad file or system access.
--dangerously-skip-permissionsis not present unless you have a specific, reviewed reason and understand the consequences.- The shortcut is tested with a harmless prompt before it is pointed at important repositories.
What success looks like
After setup, double-clicking the shortcut should launch the selected shell or launcher, execute a command equivalent to claude -p "your saved prompt", print the response in the chosen format, and finish without entering Claude Code’s interactive mode. If it does not, compare the shortcut’s shell, environment, working directory, and quoting with the manual test that already worked.
The authoritative references for the command syntax, output formats, flags, Windows prerequisites, and authentication routes are Anthropic’s CLI reference and setup guide. They document the non-interactive command and supported Windows environments; the final Windows shortcut fields remain installation-specific and should be verified on the machine where the shortcut will run.
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