The setup guide I wish existed when I started
People ask me “how do I actually start?”
Not “what’s AI” or “should I use ChatGPT or Claude?” They’ve past that. They want to know how to connect Claude to their actual files so it can actually do things. Read documents. Create notes. Edit content. Work.
I wrote this guide because every tutorial I found was either too technical or too vague. This one is neither. It’s the exact steps I walk people through before my workshops, and I’ve watched hundreds of people get through it (most of them don’t consider themselves “technical,” whatever that means).
20-40 minutes. Mostly copy-paste. You’ll end up with Claude connected to a folder on your computer, reading and creating files on command.
That’s the starting line. Everything else I teach builds on top of this.
---
What’s about to happen
We’re going to download the Claude app, install two small tools it needs, and connect it to a folder on your computer using something called MCP.
Once that’s done, Claude can read, edit, and create files in that folder. Instead of just chatting with it in a browser, it becomes something closer to a teammate that works on your actual stuff.
The end goal: You open Claude Code, type “create a file called meeting-notes.md” and it just does it. Right there in your folder. You open the folder and it’s there.
Sounds simple. It is simple. But the difference between “chatting with AI” and “AI working on your files” is the difference between talking about cooking and actually making dinner.
Tip: If you get stuck anywhere, screenshot the error and paste it into Claude’s regular chat along with a link to this guide. It’s genuinely good at debugging its own setup issues (I know, a bit meta).
Work computer? Many corporate computers block installations. If you have IT restrictions, you’ll probably need IT department help or use a personal computer.
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Before we start: Paid Claude subscription
This is required. Without a paid subscription, you won’t be able to use Claude Code.
1. Go to claude.ai/upgrade
2. Choose **Claude Pro** ($20/month)
3. Complete the payment
$20/month is enough for daily work. I personally use Max ($100/month) because I run agents all day, but Pro is the right place to start.
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Step 1: Install Obsidian
What is it? A free app for notes and files. Everything stays on your computer, not in someone else’s cloud. That’s why it works so well with AI.
(I keep my entire agent system in Obsidian. Every prompt, every instruction, every piece of content. It’s all just files in a folder. Simple and fast.)
Download and install
1. Go to obsidian.md/download
2. Download for your operating system
3. Mac: Open the .dmg, drag to Applications
4. Windows: Run the installer
Create a Vault
A “Vault” is just Obsidian’s word for a folder. Open the app for the first time:
1. Click “Create new vault”
2. Give your Vault a name
Naming rules: No spaces (use `-` instead), in English, something personal. Good example: `tom-workspace`
Where to save it
🚨 Do NOT save in OneDrive, iCloud, or Google Drive.
I can’t stress this enough. Sync tools cause problems when Claude edits files, and many people get stuck because of this. Save in your Documents folder. That’s it.
Write down the path
This is the step people skip and then regret. You need to know exactly where your Vault lives, because you’ll need the path in step 4.
Take a screenshot or write it down now:
- Mac: Right-click the folder, Get Info, look under “Where”
- Windows: Open the folder, click the address bar
# Examples:
Mac: /Users/yourname/Documents/yourname-vault
Windows: C:\Users\yourname\Documents\yourname-vault
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Step 2: Install Git and Node.js
Without these two, Claude can’t work with your files. They’re free, they’re small, and this takes about 5 minutes.
You don’t need to understand what they do. Just make sure they’re installed.
How to open a terminal:
Mac: Press `Cmd+Space`, type “Terminal”, press Enter
Windows: Press `Win+R`, type “cmd”, press Enter
Step A: Git
In your terminal, type:
git --versionSee a version number (something like `git version 2.x.x`)? You’re good. Move on.
Got `command not found` or `is not recognized`? Install it:
- Windows: Download from git-scm.com/downloads/win
- Mac: Usually pre-installed, but if not, run: `xcode-select --install`
Important: After installing, close the terminal and reopen it, then check again.
Step B: Node.js
In your terminal, type:
node --versionSee `v18.x.x` or higher? Great, continue to step 3.
If you get an error or an older version, install from nodejs.org (choose LTS).
After both are installed, close the terminal, reopen it, and move on.
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Step 3: Install the Claude app
🚨 Important: We don’t work through the browser. You need the actual desktop app.
1. Go to claude.ai/download
2. Download for your OS
3. Install and open
What you’ll see
In the side menu there are 3 options:
```
Chat ← Regular chat (you probably know this one)
Cowork ← Beta, not available to everyone yet
Code ← This is what we need
```
We’ll be working inside Code. That’s where Claude gets access to your files and can actually do things beyond chatting.
For now, just make sure the app opens and you’re logged in. We’ll come back to it.
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Step 4: Connect MCP (this is the important part)
This is the step that makes everything click. MCP stands for Model Context Protocol, and it’s basically the bridge between Claude and your files. Without it, Claude can’t see or touch anything on your computer.
It sounds technical. It’s actually just pasting one block of text into a settings file.
First: Open the Claude app once and close it. This creates the settings folder we need.
Mac
Open your terminal and run:
open ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.jsonOr do it manually: Finder, press `Cmd+Shift+G`, paste `~/Library/Application Support/Claude`
A file will open. Delete everything in it and paste this:
{
“mcpServers”: {
“filesystem”: {
“command”: “npx”,
“args”: [
“-y”,
“@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem”,
“/Users/yourname/Documents/yourname-vault”
]
}
}
}
Replace `/Users/yourname/Documents/yourname-vault` with the actual path you wrote down in step 1. This is where most mistakes happen, so double-check it.
Windows
Open your terminal and run:
notepad %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.jsonOr manually: File Explorer, paste `%APPDATA%\Claude` in the address bar.
File doesn’t exist? Open the Claude app once, close it, then try again.
Delete everything in the file and paste this (note the double backslashes):
{
“mcpServers”: {
“filesystem”: {
“command”: “npx”,
“args”: [
“-y”,
“@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem”,
“C:\\Users\\yourname\\Documents\\yourname-vault”
]
}
}
}
Replace the path with your actual Vault path. On Windows you need double backslashes `\\` instead of single ones.
After saving
Close the Claude app completely (not just the window, actually quit it) and reopen. The settings only load on startup.
If it doesn’t work: 90% of the time it’s a JSON formatting issue. Extra comma at the end, unclosed bracket, or curly quotes from copying. If you’re stuck, go to jsonlint.com, paste your config, and click Validate. It’ll show you exactly where the problem is.
---
Step 5: Test it
This is the moment of truth.
Select your Vault folder
1. Open the Claude app
2. Go to the Code tab
3. In the top corner there’s a dropdown saying Local, make sure it’s selected
4. Click Select a folder and choose your Vault
Create your first file
In the Claude Code chat, type:
```
Create a new note called “test.md” with the content “Hello from Claude Code”
```
1. Click the orange arrow to send
2. Claude will ask for permissions. Approve everything (it needs permission to read and write files)
3. Now open Obsidian. There should be a `test.md` file sitting there
It worked? That’s it. You’re in the loop.
Claude can now read, create, and edit files on your computer. You just went from “chatting with AI” to “working with AI.”
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Checklist
Before moving on, make sure you’ve got all of these:
- [ ] Paid Claude subscription ($20/month)
- [ ] Git installed (`git --version` returns a version number)
- [ ] Node.js installed (`node --version` returns v18 or higher)
- [ ] Obsidian installed
- [ ] Vault created with a name without spaces, and you know the path
- [ ] Vault is in Documents (not in any cloud sync folder)
- [ ] Claude desktop app installed (not browser)
- [ ] MCP configured in `claude_desktop_config.json`
- [ ] Claude can create files in your Vault
If all 9 boxes are checked, you’re ready for the next step.
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Stuck? Common issues and fixes
“Failed to load session” in the app
This is a known bug on Anthropic’s side. Happens to people everywhere, not just you.
Try first: Log out and log back in. Check that your subscription is active at claude.ai. Make sure Git is installed.
If that didn’t help: Delete local settings files.
- Windows: Open `%APPDATA%\Claude\` and delete the contents
- Mac: Open `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/` and delete the contents
Still stuck? Uninstall the app completely, delete the settings folders, reinstall from [claude.ai/download](https://claude.ai/download). You’ll need to redo the MCP config from step 4.
Also worth trying: Temporarily disable Windows Defender or antivirus. If you’re on a corporate network, try from your phone’s hotspot.
“command not found: claude”
- Close and reopen terminal
- Check Node.js is installed: `node --version`
- Reinstall: `npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`
“Cannot connect to MCP server”
- Make sure you’re editing `claude_desktop_config.json` (not `settings.json`, people mix these up)
- Double-check the Vault path
- Windows users: double backslashes `\\`
- Check commas and brackets in the JSON
- Close and reopen the Claude app after any changes
“Permission denied” on install
- Mac: Run with sudo: `sudo npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`
- Windows: Run terminal as Administrator
JSON Syntax Error
Go to jsonlint.com, paste your config, click Validate. It’ll tell you exactly what’s wrong and where.
Claude doesn’t see the Vault
- Make sure you selected the right folder in the Code tab
- Try giving the full path when asking Claude to work with files
- Close and reopen the app
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What happens next
You just gave Claude access to your computer. That’s step zero.
The interesting part is what you build on top of this. In my workshops, people go from this exact setup to running their first AI agent team in about 2 hours. Not theory, not slides. You build a working system and leave with agents that actually do things.
300+ people have done this. Most leave with their first agent running before the session ends.
Check the next workshop date → https://getagents.today
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Last updated: February 2026
P.S. I read every reply. If you’re stuck on any step, just hit reply with a screenshot. The real me, not the agents. 🤓