Simple explanation
The fear is understandable: can an AI coding tool read your bank statements, photos, passwords, or private documents?
Claude Code works with the project and directories available to its session. The official CLI also supports adding other directories and configuring allowed or disallowed tools. That means the safe answer is not “it can only ever see one folder.” The safe answer is: access depends on how the session is started and what permissions you give it.
It should not be treated as a silent license to read your whole computer. You should still assume that anything inside the working project, an added directory, or a file path you provide may be read by the tool when a task requires it.
The biggest practical risk is placing secrets or personal documents inside a project and then forgetting they are there.
What to do
Use these safer habits:
1. Start the session in the smallest project directory it needs.2. Do not add broad folders such as your home directory or personal documents folder.3. Keep API keys and passwords out of source files. Use environment variables and make sure secret files are ignored by Git.4. Do not store bank details, private notes, or unrelated personal documents in the project.5. Review permission prompts and tool settings instead of automatically approving them.6. Ask: “Which directories and files are available to this session?” Then verify the answer yourself.
A project folder is not automatically private just because it is on your computer. Treat every file available to the agent as something that needs a reason to be there.
Copy-paste prompt
Before doing any work, list the working directory, added directories, available tools, and files you expect to read. Do not open files outside that scope. Flag any likely secrets or personal data and stop before editing.
Course note
Key takeaway
Claude Code does not automatically equal access to your whole computer, but its scope depends on your session and permissions. Keep the scope small and keep secrets out of the project.