Claude app with ChatGPT, Claude & SuperGrok

Last updated: 2026-08-28

Use the Claude desktop application with the same local gateway and consumer subscriptions as Claude Code: ChatGPT (Codex OAuth), Claude (setup-token), SuperGrok (Grok CLI / device OAuth).

Current Claude Desktop (2026, including builds like 1.37937.x) does not send chat through ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL or ~/.claude/settings.json. Official routing is third-party inference. Claude Code inside the app (and the claude CLI) still uses the Anthropic env vars.

  Claude app chat
       │  Developer → Configure Third-Party Inference
       ▼
  llm-gateway (HTTPS localhost)
       ├── SuperGrok
       ├── ChatGPT subscription
       └── Claude subscription

  Claude Code tab / `claude` CLI
       │  ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL
       ▼
  same llm-gateway

Related: Claude Code + subscriptions · Codex · Cursor · Any app · OAuth

Prerequisites

llm-gateway helpers install
eval "$(llm-gateway helpers source)"

llm-gateway auth login grok      # or: auth import grok  (uses ~/.grok/auth.json)
# optional:
# llm-gateway auth login chatgpt
# llm-gateway auth login claude
llm-gateway auth status

export KEY=local-dev
cc-gateway-up                    # https://127.0.0.1:8787

Prefer mkcert -install so Electron trusts local HTTPS. Helpers write certs under ~/.config/inja-gateway/certs/.

ToS: personal accounts you own only. Do not resell consumer OAuth.

Chat in the Claude app (required)

Keep the gateway running, then in Claude:

1. Help → Troubleshooting → Enable Developer Mode (the app restarts and a Developer menu appears).
2. Developer → Configure Third-Party Inference…
3. Connection
   • Inference provider: Gateway
   • Gateway base URL: https://127.0.0.1:8787
   • Gateway API key: local-dev (same as KEY; not an Anthropic sk-)
   • Auth scheme: x-api-key
   • Credential kind: Static API key
4. Apply locally, fully quit Claude (not just the window), reopen.

Or import the JSON the helper writes:

export KEY=local-dev
CC_MODEL=grok-4.6 apps-write-claude-desktop
# → ~/.config/inja-gateway/claude-desktop-3p.json

In the same window: Import configuration → that file → Apply locally.

apps-write-claude-desktop merges env into your existing claude_desktop_config.json. It does not wipe MCP servers, Cowork prefs, or trusted folders.

Model picker

Desktop auto-discovery only lists ids that look like Claude. The import file sets inferenceModels so Grok and GPT aliases appear:

If the picker is empty, list models explicitly in the 3P form. Confirm traffic with cc-gateway-logs -f (provider=xai / chatgpt / anthropic).

What 3P mode changes

With a gateway configuration active, the desktop app runs sessions on this machine only. Anthropic-hosted cloud environments and Remote Control are unavailable. Sign in with Anthropic again (leave 3P) to restore those features.

Claude Code inside the app / the claude CLI

That path still uses Anthropic Messages + ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL. Helpers merge env and leave hooks/plugins intact:

export KEY=local-dev
CC_MODEL=grok-4.6 apps-write-claude-settings   # ~/.claude/settings.json

CLI launcher (Grok 4.6 + xhigh):

llm-gateway helpers install
ln -sf ~/.config/inja-gateway/scripts/claude-grok ~/.local/bin/claude-grok
claude-grok --help          # same as claude --help
claude-grok                 # gateway up, Grok 4.6, xhigh

Helpers set only ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN (not ANTHROPIC_API_KEY) so Claude Code does not warn about dual credentials.

Wrappers you put on PATH must start with #!/bin/zsh or #!/bin/bash. A script with no shebang is run with /bin/sh, which rejects hyphenated helper names (cc-gateway-up: not a valid identifier).

In session: /model grok-4.6 · /effort xhigh · /status (base URL must be https://127.0.0.1:8787).

Full CLI guide: Claude Code + subscriptions.

Dual ANTHROPIC_API_KEY + ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN

Claude Code warns when both are set. The gateway accepts either header (edge_auth off). The client uses Bearer (ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN) and may still mix a saved claude.ai login.

If chat already comes from Grok, the banner is noise. To make auth unambiguous:

unset ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
export ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN=local-dev

If /status does not show the gateway URL, /logout and decline API-key approval.

7 MCP servers need authentication is those MCP servers’ own OAuth. It does not affect Grok routing.

Rollback

apps-use-default          # restore pre-gateway snapshots
# or one file:
apps-restore-slot default

Then in Claude: Developer → Configure Third-Party Inference → return to Anthropic / clear the gateway, fully quit, reopen.

Troubleshooting

cc-gateway-status
llm-gateway auth status
curl -sk https://127.0.0.1:8787/healthz
apps-claude-desktop

Related

• In-repo: docs/claude-desktop-subscriptions.md
• Helpers: apps-write-claude-desktop · apps-write-claude-settings · apps-claude-desktop
• Anthropic: Configure a gateway · In-app configuration