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Connect Approval Studio to Claude β€” Easy Setup Guide
Step-by-step beginner guide 🀝

Connect Approval Studio to Claude AI

No tech skills needed. Follow the steps below β€” we'll walk you through every click, one at a time.

What are we doing? We're connecting two apps: Approval Studio (where you manage design projects) and Claude (an AI assistant made by Anthropic). Once connected, you can talk to Claude in plain English and it will manage your Approval Studio projects for you.

How long does this take? About 10–15 minutes, even if you've never done anything like this before.

Is it safe? Yes. The whole setup happens on your own computer. No one else can see your password.

1
Download & install Claude Desktop
The app that will talk to your Approval Studio account
πŸ’»
πŸ€” What is Claude Desktop?
Claude is an AI assistant β€” think of it like a very smart helper you can type messages to. The "Desktop" version is an app you install on your computer (just like Word or Spotify). We need the desktop version specifically because the web version doesn't support the connection we're setting up.

Click the button below, download the installer, and run it β€” just like installing any normal app.

⬇️ Download Claude Desktop
πŸ’‘
Windows or Mac? The website will automatically show you the right download for your computer. Just click the big download button on the page and follow the installer β€” it's the same as installing any other program.
2
Download & install Node.js
A small technical helper that runs in the background
βš™οΈ
πŸ€” What is Node.js?
Node.js is a small program that works quietly in the background β€” you'll never need to open it or look at it. It acts as a "bridge" that allows Claude to communicate with the Approval Studio server on the internet. Think of it like a phone line: you don't need to understand how it works, you just need it installed.

Click below and download the version labeled "LTS" (Recommended For Most Users). Run the installer and click "Next" through all the steps β€” the default settings are all fine.

⬇️ Download Node.js (LTS)
⚠️
Don't skip this step! Even though you'll never use Node.js directly, Claude needs it installed to make the connection work. If you skip it, nothing will happen and you'll be confused. Install it β€” it only takes a minute.
3
Sign in and get your settings file
Enter your Approval Studio login β€” we'll prepare everything for you
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πŸ€” What's happening here?
To let Claude talk to your Approval Studio account, it needs a special password called an API token β€” a long string of letters and numbers that works like a key. Instead of making you deal with any of that yourself, just type your normal login below and we'll create the settings file automatically, ready to use.

πŸ”‘ Create your settings file

Enter your Approval Studio email and password to get started

This is the email address you use to log in to Approval Studio
Your password is sent directly to Approval Studio β€” it is never stored anywhere
βœ… Your settings file is ready!

A file called claude_desktop_config.json has been saved to your Downloads folder. Now follow Step 4 to tell Claude where to find it.

Your connection will stay active until 30 days from now.

⚠️
Something went wrong Please check your email and password and try again.
🚫
Getting an error about your plan? If you see a message about needing a "Pro plan", the API connection feature requires a Pro Approval Studio subscription. Please contact Approval Studio support to upgrade.
4
Put the settings file in the right place
Move the file you just downloaded into Claude's special folder
πŸ“
πŸ€” What are we doing?
Claude has a special folder on your computer where it looks for its settings. We need to move the claude_desktop_config.json file from your Downloads folder into that special folder. Select your operating system below for step-by-step instructions:
🚨
Important Windows warning β€” please read this first! Claude has a bug on Windows: the "Edit Config" button inside Claude opens the wrong folder. If you put your file there, Claude will silently ignore it and nothing will work. You must use the special folder path shown below instead.

Here's how to do it, step by step:

  1. Find the claude_desktop_config.json file in your Downloads folder. (It's the file you downloaded in Step 3.)
  2. Open File Explorer β€” that's the folder icon in your taskbar at the bottom of the screen, or press Win + E on your keyboard.
  3. Click inside the address bar at the top of File Explorer β€” it shows something like "This PC" or "Downloads". Click on it so it turns blue and you can type in it.
  4. Copy and paste the path below into the address bar, then press Enter:
πŸ“‹ Copy this path and paste it into the File Explorer address bar
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc\LocalCache\Roaming\Claude
  1. Windows will open the Claude folder. If you see a message saying "Location is not available" or the folder doesn't exist, create it: right-click inside the window β†’ New β†’ Folder and name it Claude.
  2. Now drag the claude_desktop_config.json file from your Downloads folder into this Claude folder. Or you can right-click the file β†’ Cut, then go back to the Claude folder and right-click β†’ Paste.
  3. If Windows asks "There is already a file with the same name", click Replace the file in the destination. That's fine β€” you're updating the settings.
βœ…
Done! The file is in the right place. Move on to Step 5.

Here's how to do it on a Mac, step by step:

  1. Find the claude_desktop_config.json file in your Downloads folder. (Open Finder and click Downloads on the left.)
  2. In Finder, click the Go menu at the top of your screen, then click "Go to Folder…"
  3. Copy and paste the path below into the box that appears, then press Return:
πŸ“‹ Copy this path and paste it into the "Go to Folder" box
~/Library/Application Support/Claude
  1. A Finder window will open showing the Claude folder. If it says the folder doesn't exist, you'll need to create it: go to ~/Library/Application Support/ and create a new folder named Claude.
  2. Open a second Finder window showing your Downloads folder, and drag claude_desktop_config.json into the Claude folder.
  3. If a message appears asking whether to replace the existing file, click Replace. That's fine.
βœ…
Done! The file is in the right place. Move on to Step 5.
5
Restart Claude and you're done!
Just close the app completely and open it again
πŸš€

Claude needs to be fully closed and reopened before it reads the new settings file. Just closing the window is not enough β€” you need to quit the app completely.

  • On Windows: Right-click the Claude icon in the taskbar (bottom-right corner of your screen, near the clock) and click Quit or Exit. Then open Claude again from your Start menu or desktop.
  • On Mac: Right-click the Claude icon in the Dock, then click Quit. Or press ⌘ Cmd + Q while Claude is open. Then reopen it from your Applications or Dock.
πŸ”Œ
How to check it worked After restarting Claude, look for a small plug icon (πŸ”Œ) near the message box at the bottom of the chat window. Click it β€” you should see ApprovalStudio listed with a green dot. That means it's connected!
πŸŽ‰

You're all set!

Claude can now see and control your Approval Studio projects. Try asking it something β€” here are a few things you can say:

Things to try
  • Show me all my active projects
  • What projects haven't been updated recently?
  • Create a new project called "Summer Campaign"
  • What assets were approved this week?
  • Ask [email protected] to review the logo by Friday

Stuck? Common questions answered here

It should be in your Downloads folder. On Windows, open File Explorer and click "Downloads" in the left panel. On Mac, open Finder and click "Downloads". Look for a file named claude_desktop_config.json. If you can't see it, the download may have been blocked β€” try clicking the download button in Step 3 again.

The most common reason is that Claude wasn't fully restarted. Make sure you quit the app completely (not just close the window) and reopen it. On Windows: look for the Claude icon near the clock in the bottom-right corner, right-click it, and choose Quit. On Mac: right-click the Dock icon and choose Quit.

The second most common reason on Windows is putting the file in the wrong folder. Make sure you're using the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc\LocalCache\Roaming\Claude path β€” not the folder that Claude's "Edit Config" button opens (that one is a known bug and is the wrong location).

This means your Approval Studio account is on the Lite plan, which doesn't include API access. The Claude connection requires a Pro plan. Please contact Approval Studio support to find out about upgrading.

Try logging in to app.approval.studio in your browser first to confirm your password works. If you can log in there but not here, try copying and pasting your password instead of typing it (to avoid typos). If your account is locked, use the Forgot Password option on the login page.

Your settings file contains a token (password) that is valid for 30 days. After that, it expires and you'll need a new one. Just come back to this page, go through Step 3 again to download a new settings file, and replace the old one in Claude's folder (Step 4). Then restart Claude.

Completely understandable! Here's what happens: when you click the button, your browser sends your email and password directly to Approval Studio's own servers at api.approval.studio β€” the same company you already trust with your account. We don't store or see your credentials. The only thing we do is take the token (a long random string) that Approval Studio sends back and put it into the settings file for you.