javaht/claude-desktop-zh-cn

Claude Desktop 中文补丁

What it is

• A set of scripts that add a Chinese user‑interface (Simplified, Traditional‑Taiwan, Traditional‑Hong Kong) to the official Claude Desktop client.
• Works on macOS, Windows and Linux (deb‑package installs).

How it works

• The installer backs up the original Claude app, then injects Chinese translation JSON files and, in the full‑patch mode, modifies the Electron app.asar bundle to translate on‑screen DOM text and bypass Anthropic’s model‑name checks for third‑party gateways.
• Three installation modes are offered:
  1. Full patch – edits app.asar, adds DOM translation, overrides model‑name validation, and re‑signs the app (macOS) or changes the Authenticode hash (Windows).
  2. Structure‑skip patch – only adds language resources and does minimal, length‑preserving text replacements; no DOM injection or model‑name bypass.
  3. Frida runtime patch (experimental) – leaves the original files untouched and applies an in‑memory Frida/Chrome‑DevTools‑Protocol injection to translate the UI at runtime.
• After patching, the scripts write the chosen locale (zh‑CN, zh‑TW, or zh‑HK) into Claude’s local configuration so the client starts in Chinese.
• Uninstall/restore options revert the app to the pre‑patch backup.

Key features

• One‑click installers for each OS (install‑mac.command, install‑windows.bat, install‑linux.sh).
• Supports both the official Anthropic account and third‑party API gateways.
• Automatic backup & restore, version‑aware re‑backup on Linux upgrades.
• Optional synchronization of community‑made CC Switch skills into Claude’s local skill directory.
• Ability to disable Claude’s automatic update mechanism.

Who might use it

• Chinese‑speaking users of Claude Desktop who want the entire UI (menus, settings, chat window) in their native language.
• Developers or power users who need a local, reversible way to add Chinese language support without waiting for an upstream release.

Limitations

• The patch modifies local binaries; on macOS it re‑signs the app ad‑hoc, and on Windows it breaks the original Authenticode hash, which can interfere with sandboxed environments like Cowork.
• Only the official Debian package is supported on Linux; AppImage, Flatpak, Snap, etc., are not covered.
• DOM‑based translations rely on matching English strings, so UI changes in future Claude releases may leave some text untranslated until the patch is updated.

Installation quick‑start (macOS example)

# 1. Quit Claude Desktop
# 2. Clone or download this repo
# 3. Double‑click install‑mac.command
# 4. Choose option 1 (full patch) or 2 (skip app.asar) and pick a language
# 5. Enter your admin password when prompted
# 6. Claude restarts in Chinese

Safety note The README stresses restoring the original backup before updating Claude, and warns that patching may be undone by Claude’s own updates.