On Windows, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and provider usage are related, but they are not one state machine. A status companion needs to keep three boundaries visible.
Three independent signals
Application state describes whether Claude Desktop is running, minimized, hidden, closed to background, or unavailable.
Claude Code session state describes whether an exact coding session is working, waiting, needs input, errored, finished, or stale.
Usage state describes the provider-reported quota window and whether the local credential used to read it is valid.
A valid Claude Desktop subscription does not prove that a Claude Code usage credential is available. A closed window does not prove the desktop process stopped. A stale transcript does not prove that the application cannot be restored.
Restore the right surface
When a user selects an exact row, retain the provider and session identity that produced it. Restore logic should determine which application surface owns that identity and then use the supported Windows activation path. Sending every Claude-related row to one generic launch command loses context.
Windows applications can remove their visible window while a process or tray component remains active. A monitor should distinguish no visible window from no process and verify the result after requesting activation. Starting another process repeatedly can create duplicates without restoring the intended conversation.
Keep usage failures scoped to usage
If a usage request cannot authenticate, report that usage is unavailable. Preserve independently observed session state unless its own evidence changed. This prevents a quota credential failure from making a healthy local coding session look broken.
A useful test sequence is simple: open Claude Desktop and Claude Code separately, verify exact identity, close Desktop to background, restore it, invalidate only the usage credential, and confirm session state remains intact.
Agent Island is a free, open-source status companion for Claude Code and Codex on Windows 10/11 and macOS. It uses local session records for status and your-turn alerts, has no Agent Island account, and does not upload session data. I help run Agent Island; the full guide is here:
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