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Use cloud storage in Claude Desktop and Claude Code

Let Claude read and write files in any storage RaiDrive supports — a cloud drive, object storage or a NAS — through a RaiDrive drive. Claude Desktop is the Claude app for Windows. You attach a folder on the drive to it. Claude Code is a program that runs in a terminal (a window where you type commands, such as PowerShell). You start it in a folder on the drive.

Before you begin

  • A drive connected in RaiDrive — see Create your first drive. The examples use Amazon S3 as W:.
  • Claude Desktop or Claude Code installed and signed in. To install Claude Code, see Anthropic's setup guide. If you have never used a terminal, see the terminal guide.

Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop works on the folders you attach to a session. Claude does the work on Anthropic's servers, not on your PC. It copies the files it needs from the attached folder. It often writes a little code to process them — for example a short Python program that adds up the results in Excel workbooks, or code that builds a PowerPoint file. Then it writes the results back to the folder.

Attach the folder

  1. Click New.
  2. Click Project or folder below the message box.
  3. Click Add folder.

  4. In the folder picker, open This PC. A Local Disk drive is listed under Devices and drives (for example Amazon S3 (W:)). A network drive is listed under Network locations.

    Amazon S3 (W:) under Devices and drives

  5. Double-click the drive to open it.

  6. Choose a folder (for example Exports) and click Select Folder.
  7. Right after you click Select Folder, Claude Desktop asks whether Claude may change files in the folder. Click Allow.
  8. Ask for the work — for example "Analyze the yearly export results in this folder and make a PowerPoint presentation."
  9. When you send the first request, Claude Desktop asks "Allow this Cowork session to access this folder?". Click Allow.

  10. Then the chat shows "Claude wants to use a folder on your computer". Click Allow once.

    Claude Desktop after making a presentation from the yearly export results in the Exports folder on the drive

To attach the whole drive, choose the drive itself under This PC (for example Amazon S3 (W:)) and click Select Folder. A network path such as \\server\share (a server address) cannot be attached.

Cowork is the name of Claude Desktop's sessions that work in folders. Claude copies the Excel files from the folder, analyzes them with code, builds the presentation and saves it to the same folder.

If nothing happens when you click Select Folder, the drive's settings do not allow it — see What each drive setting allows.

What each drive setting allows

A RaiDrive drive has two settings:

  • Drive type — a Network drive appears under Network locations in File Explorer. A Local Disk appears under Devices and drives, like a USB drive.
  • Visibility — a Private drive is visible only to you, while you are signed in to Windows. A Public drive is visible to every account and program on the PC.

A new drive is a Network drive that is Private. The icons in RaiDrive's drive list show the settings of your drive. Whether Claude Desktop can attach a folder on the drive depends on these settings and on your version of RaiDrive:

Drive type Visibility Icons in the drive list Later than 2026.6.25 2026.6.7 – 2026.6.25 Earlier than 2026.6.7
Network drive Private Network drive icon Yes No Yes
Network drive Public Network drive icon Public icon Yes No Yes
Local Disk Private Local disk icon No No No
Local Disk Public Local disk icon Public icon Yes Yes No

When the folder can be attached, Claude reads the files, processes them with code and writes its results to the folder. When it cannot, nothing happens when you click Select Folder: the folder picker (the window where you choose a folder) closes, no folder is added, and no error is shown.

RaiDrive shows its version at the bottom of Settings — see Update. What to do depends on your RaiDrive version:

  • RaiDrive later than 2026.6.25 — every setting except Local Disk + Private works. Keep the default network drive.
  • RaiDrive 2026.6.7 – 2026.6.25 — update RaiDrive to the latest version, or set the drive to Local Disk + Public.
  • RaiDrive earlier than 2026.6.7 — keep the default network drive.

These limits apply only to Claude Desktop. Claude Code works with any drive setting.

Set the drive to Local Disk + Public

  1. In RaiDrive, click Disconnect on the drive, then Edit.
  2. Check Local Disk.
  3. Select Public.

  4. Leave Reconnect at boot on and click OK.

    Drive options with Local Disk and Public selected and Reconnect at boot on

  5. Click Connect on the drive.

A drive cannot be edited while it is connected. With Local Disk and Public together, the option Reconnect at program start changes its name to Reconnect at boot. Keep it on so the drive connects when Windows starts.

After you change the settings, click New in Claude Desktop to start a new chat, and attach the folder there (see Attach the folder). You do not need to restart Claude Desktop or Windows.

Local Disk requires a RaiDrive plan (subscription) that includes it. See Local Disk. Without such a plan, update RaiDrive to the latest version and keep the default network drive.

Claude Code

Claude Code runs in a terminal. On Windows, PowerShell is a terminal:

  1. Open PowerShell — search for "PowerShell" in the Start menu.

  2. Type the two lines below, and press Enter after each. The first line (cd) moves to the folder on the drive — replace W:\Exports with your folder. The second starts Claude Code:

    cd W:\Exports
claude

  3. The first time you start Claude Code in a folder, it asks whether you trust that folder. Answer that you trust it.

  4. Ask for the work — for example "Analyze the yearly export results in this folder and make a PowerPoint presentation. Save it here as a .pptx file, and don't leave any other new files in this folder."

If you answer that you do not trust the folder, Claude Code does not work in it. Claude Code reads, creates and edits files in that folder, like in any folder on your PC. It asks before it writes a file or runs a command.

In this recording, Claude Code reads the four yearly export workbooks (Excel files) in W:\Exports. It writes a small program that analyzes them and builds the slides. Then it saves the presentation in the same folder. RaiDrive saves the new file to the storage.

The first slide of the presentation Claude Code saved:

First slide of the presentation Claude Code made from the yearly export workbooks

Help from Anthropic

Next steps