Getting Started with Overclock: A 5-Minute Guide

Overclock Team·March 22, 2026

Get up and running in 5 minutes

Overclock is a desktop AI coding IDE powered by Claude. This guide walks you through setup from download to your first AI-assisted coding session.

Step 1: Download Overclock

Head to overclock.win/download and download the installer for your platform. Overclock is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

The download is a standard desktop application installer — no Docker, no cloud setup, no browser required.

Step 2: Install and launch

Run the installer and launch Overclock. The app will open with a welcome screen that guides you through initial setup.

The editor and terminal are fully functional from the start — you can use Overclock as a regular code editor even without an API key. The AI agent features require a key.

Step 3: Get an Anthropic API key

You'll need an API key from Anthropic to use the AI features:

Go to console.anthropic.com
Create an account or sign in
Navigate to API Keys
Click Create Key
Copy the key (it starts with sk-ant-)

Anthropic offers free credits for new accounts, so you can start experimenting without entering payment details.

Step 4: Enter your key in Settings

In Overclock:

Open Settings (gear icon or Ctrl+, / Cmd+,)
Go to the API Key section
Paste your Anthropic API key
Click Save

Your key is stored locally on your machine and is sent directly to Anthropic's API. Overclock never stores your key on our servers.

Step 5: Open a project folder

Click Open Folder and select your project directory. Overclock will index your files so the AI agent can navigate your codebase.

The agent can read any file in your project, but it will only write to files you approve (in safe mode) or files it determines are relevant (in auto mode).

Step 6: Start chatting with the agent

Click the chat panel and type your first prompt. Try something like:

"Explain the architecture of this project"
"Add a dark mode toggle to the settings page"
"Fix the bug in the login form validation"
"Write tests for the user service"

The agent will read relevant files, plan its approach, and make changes — all visible in the chat panel. You can approve, reject, or modify each change.

Tips for getting the most out of Overclock

Create a CLAUDE.md file

Create a CLAUDE.md file in your project root. This file tells the agent about your project — conventions, architecture, important files, and preferences. The agent reads it at the start of every session.

A good CLAUDE.md includes:

Project overview and tech stack
File structure description
Coding conventions (naming, formatting, patterns)
Important commands (build, test, lint)
Things to avoid

CLAUDE.md gets the extended 1-hour cache TTL, so it stays cached even during breaks.

Use safe mode for new projects

When you first start using Overclock on a project, use safe mode. In this mode, the agent asks for confirmation before writing any file. This lets you build trust and understand how the agent works before giving it more autonomy.

Set a spending cap

In Settings, you can set a per-session spending cap. This limits how much a single agent session can spend on API calls. It's a good safety net while you're learning how costs work with BYOK.

Choose the right model

Overclock lets you switch models per-prompt:

Claude Opus 4.6 — Most capable. Best for complex tasks, architecture decisions, and large refactors.
Claude Sonnet 4 — Great balance of capability and cost. Good for everyday coding tasks.

Start with Sonnet for routine work and switch to Opus when you need the extra capability.

Keep sessions focused

Prompt caching works best in continuous sessions. The cache stays warm as long as you keep prompting within 5 minutes. For the best cost savings, work in focused bursts rather than sporadic prompts throughout the day.

What's next?

Read about BYOK and how it saves you money
Learn about prompt caching
See how Overclock compares to alternatives
Check your usage at overclock.win after signing up

The free trial gives you 7 agent prompts with no credit card required. Your editor and terminal are always free.