Model Context Protocol settings are stored in:
~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
CLAUDE_USE_WAYLAND |
unset | Set to 1 to use native Wayland instead of XWayland. Note: Global hotkeys won't work in native Wayland mode. |
CLAUDE_MENU_BAR |
unset (auto) |
Controls menu bar behavior: auto (hidden, Alt toggles), visible / 1 (always shown), hidden / 0 (always hidden, Alt disabled). See Menu Bar below. |
By default, Claude Desktop uses X11 mode (via XWayland) on Wayland sessions to ensure global hotkeys work. If you prefer native Wayland and don't need global hotkeys:
# One-time launch
CLAUDE_USE_WAYLAND=1 claude-desktop
# Or add to your environment permanently
export CLAUDE_USE_WAYLAND=1Important: Native Wayland mode doesn't support global hotkeys due to Electron/Chromium limitations with XDG GlobalShortcuts Portal. If global hotkeys (Ctrl+Alt+Space) are important to your workflow, keep the default X11 mode.
By default, the menu bar is hidden but can be toggled with the Alt key (auto mode). On KDE Plasma and other DEs where Alt is heavily used, this can cause layout shifts. Use CLAUDE_MENU_BAR to control the behavior:
| Value | Menu visible | Alt toggles | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
unset / auto |
No | Yes | Default — hidden, Alt toggles |
visible / 1 / true / yes / on |
Yes | No | Stable layout, no shift on Alt |
hidden / 0 / false / no / off |
No | No | Menu fully disabled, Alt free |
# Always show the menu bar (no layout shift on Alt)
CLAUDE_MENU_BAR=visible claude-desktop
# Or add to your environment permanently
export CLAUDE_MENU_BAR=visibleRuntime logs are available at:
~/.cache/claude-desktop-debian/launcher.log