Most people no longer need it. Since version 3.2.0, ClaudeCode Launchpad CLI lays out Claude's Hebrew, Arabic and other right-to-left replies on Windows, with a two-minute install and no reboot. Kivun Terminal is still the better choice in the three cases below.
When Kivun Terminal is still the better choice
- Copying Hebrew without it coming out backwards. In Kivun, text you copy with
Ctrl+Shift+Ckeeps its correct order. In Launchpad, right-to-left text copied with the mouse pastes backwards;/copycopies Claude's last reply as clean text instead. - Right-to-left across the whole screen. Launchpad lays out Claude's replies only. Tool output, question dialogs, permission prompts, tables, code blocks and the input box stay as Claude Code draws them. Kivun runs Claude Code in a terminal that handles right-to-left everywhere on the screen.
- Linux. Kivun has a Linux installer (apt, dnf, pacman and zypper). Launchpad is for Windows and Mac.
The downsides compared with Launchpad
- 5 to 15 minutes to install, one reboot, and administrator rights.
- Kivun Terminal runs Claude Code inside WSL, a small Linux system on Windows. That takes about 2 GB on disk and can use a lot of memory; you can cap the memory in Advanced options.
- It starts in about 6 seconds, against about 2 for Launchpad.
- There is no Mac version: no native Mac terminal handles mixed Hebrew and English.
Download Kivun Terminal
Install in this exact order
Close any open terminal windows before installing.
- Right-click the downloaded Kivun_Terminal_Setup.exe and choose Run as administrator. Do not just double-click it. This is the step people miss.
- If Windows shows "Windows protected your PC", click More info → Run anyway. If Smart App Control blocks it, set it to Off in Start, then run the file again.
- It installs Windows Subsystem for Linux and asks you to reboot. Reboot, then run the same file again, again as administrator, to finish.
- The second run takes about 5 to 15 minutes. The progress bar can sit still for several minutes during the download; that is normal. It is done only when it shows Installation Complete with a Finish button.
Once it is running: copy with Ctrl+Shift+C and paste with Ctrl+Shift+V; plain Ctrl+C stops the running command instead of copying. Copied Hebrew keeps its correct order.
Frequently asked
What is Kivun Terminal?
Kivun Terminal is a free, open-source installer that runs Claude Code with correct right-to-left, bidirectional rendering, so Hebrew, Arabic, Persian and other RTL scripts mixed with English display correctly in the terminal. Under the hood it works through WSL on Windows, and natively on Linux.
Kivun uses a lot of memory. Can I limit it?
Yes. Kivun Terminal runs on WSL2, a small Linux system that can use a lot of RAM. In the folder picker, open Advanced options and set a WSL memory limit (for example 3 GB). It is saved to your .wslconfig and takes effect after WSL fully restarts, so close all Kivun windows, or restart your PC.
It said "WSL install not started" and stopped.
Right-click the installer and choose Run as administrator, then run it again; that is almost always the fix. If "Run as administrator" asks for a password you don't have, it's a locked-down work PC: ask your IT team to run wsl --install once and reboot.
Can I install both Kivun and Launchpad?
Yes. They are sister projects by the same author and don't conflict.
Does Kivun work on a Mac?
No. No native Mac terminal handles mixed Hebrew and English, so there is no Mac version. Launchpad runs on macOS, without the right-to-left layout.
Advanced settings
Everything above is enough to start. These settings are for when you want more control. On Windows, most of them are in the folder picker that opens when you start Kivun Terminal: click Advanced options.
- Saved profiles. Save a folder together with its model, flags, startup commands and environment variables, one profile per project. The row at the top of the picker switches between them in one click.
- Model and conversation. Choose Opus, Sonnet or Haiku, or let Claude decide. Start a new conversation, continue the last one, or pick one from history.
- Quick options. One click adds a setting to the command, such as Respond in Hebrew, High effort, Read-only or Auto-accept file edits. Before you launch, the picker shows the exact command that will run.
- Startup commands. Commands sent to Claude automatically as soon as the session opens, for example one that starts voice mode.
- Environment variables. Values passed into the session for each profile, such as an API key. The picker hides them in its preview, so a screenshot does not show them.
- Sound alerts. Short voice clips when Claude finishes, asks for permission, or is waiting for you. Pick a regular or a funny voice, and add a repeat reminder if you want one. One switch turns them on or off for every project, and the change applies at once. On Windows the sound plays from inside WSL, so on some PCs you will not hear it.
- Terminal color. The background is light blue by default. You can pick dark, black, white, your terminal's own colors or any other color, and the text color adjusts so it stays readable. The new color shows after you close all Kivun windows and open Kivun again.