Getting Started with Claude + Installing Plugins

If you have bought a plugin and felt stuck at the very first step, you're in the right place.

This guide walks you all the way from nothing to a plugin running, in plain English.

Plugins are add-ons that give Claude new, ready-made abilities for a specific job.

An author plugin might research your genre, build a story bible, draft chapters in a set style, or manage your newsletter promos.

Instead of typing long prompts, you install the plugin once and run it like a tool.

And you run it right inside a normal Claude conversation. There are no special modes or tabs to find. Install it once, and it's there in every chat.

The short version of what you'll do

• Install the Claude desktop app and sign in.
• Go to Customize, then Plugins.
• Install a plugin (from the catalog, or one you received).
• Type a slash in any chat and run it.

You install plugins in the Claude desktop app, so the first step is to get that app.

1. Go to claude.ai/download and download the Claude app for your computer (Mac or Windows).
2. Install it the same way you would any app, then open it.
3. Sign in with your paid Claude account. You'll land on a fresh chat, and that's all you need.

Here's the standard way to install any plugin from Claude's built-in catalog. It's two real clicks once you find the menu.

1. In the left sidebar, open Customize.
2. Select Plugins.
3. Click Browse plugins to see what's available.
4. Pick a plugin and click Install.
5. If the plugin needs to connect to another tool (like your email or Drive), you'll be asked to sign in and approve it. That's normal.

That's it. The plugin is now installed and ready to run, which we'll do in a moment.

When you buy a Niche Raiders plugin, you install it through the same Customize then Plugins screen.

Depending on how it was delivered to you, you'll use one of two methods.

Both are quick.

Method A: You were given a link

If your plugin came with a marketplace or installation link, open Customize, then Plugins, add the link where it asks for a marketplace or source, and the plugin appears for you to Install.

Method B: You were given a file

If your plugin came as a file (for example a downloaded plugin folder or package), open Customize, then Plugins, choose the option to add a custom plugin, and select the file you downloaded.

It then shows up in your plugin list, installed and ready.

Once a plugin is installed, using it is the easy part.

1. Start a new chat in Claude (or keep going in the one you're in).
2. Type a forward slash ( / ).
3. A menu shows the commands from your installed plugins. Pick the one you want.
4. Follow the plugin's prompts. Many Niche Raiders plugins ask you a few simple questions and then do the work.

That's the whole loop: install once, then run it any time with a slash. You now know more about Claude plugins than most people who have had them for months.

A few things that occasionally trip people up, and the quick fix for each.

"I don't see Customize or Plugins"

Make sure you're signed in to a Claude Pro or higher plan, and that you're in the desktop app.

The free plan doesn't show plugins. If you just upgraded, sign out and back in.

"It asks me to sign in to something"

That's a connector.

Some plugins link to other tools (email, Drive, a promo platform) and need your permission once.

Sign in and approve, and you only do it the first time.

"My plugin isn't showing up to run"

Confirm it shows as installed in Customize then Plugins, then start a fresh chat and type "/" again. If it still hides, restart the app.

Do I need a paid Claude plan to use plugins?

Yes. Plugins need a Claude Pro or higher plan. The free plan doesn't support plugins.

Where do I use my plugins?

In any Claude conversation. Once a plugin is installed, start a chat, type a forward slash, and its commands show up. There's nothing to switch on first.

How do I install a plugin I bought or received?

In the Claude desktop app, open Customize, then Plugins. If you were given a link, add it and install from there. If you received a plugin file, use the option to add a custom plugin and select the file. The plugin then appears in your list.

How do I run an installed plugin?

Start a chat, type a forward slash, and pick the command you want from your installed plugins.

Is it safe to install plugins?

Only install plugins from sources you trust, because a plugin can include tools that run on your computer. Plugins from Claude's official catalog and from creators you trust are the safe path.