Claude Desktop App Silently Downloads 13 GB File on Every Launch Without Opt-Out

What's Happening

The Claude desktop app automatically downloads a ~12.95 GB file called claudevm.bundle located at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude-code-vm/. This is a virtual machine environment for Claude Code (the CLI coding tool). The file downloads for all users, including those who never requested Claude Code and have no intention of using it.

Confirmed Behavior

• The ~13 GB storage usage occurs after fresh install
• In-app cache clear (Troubleshoot menu) has no effect
• Full uninstall and reinstall causes immediate re-download
• Manual deletion of the claude-code-vm folder triggers re-download on next launch
• The file returns every single time the app launches

Anthropic Support Confirmation

After discussion with Anthropic support AI, the following was officially acknowledged:

• This behavior is intentional — Claude Code is enabled by default for Free, Pro, and Max plans
• Individual users have no way to disable it in the desktop app
• The web toggle at claude.ai/settings/capabilities does not affect the desktop app
• The enterprise policy flag isClaudeCodeForDesktopEnabled exists, but only for organization administrators
• There is currently no workaround for individual users
• This was explicitly called "a gap in the current desktop app design"

Impact

This represents a 13 GB silent download that:

• Happens without any user prompt or notification
• Cannot be opted out of by regular users
• Re-downloads itself if deleted
• Has meaningful impact on users with smaller SSDs (256 GB / 512 GB Macs)

The issue was reported on a Mac Mini M4 with a free Claude account, though it's unclear if it affects other platforms.