diff --git a/bcc.py b/bcc.py
index a7fde1c..1d17d13 100644
--- a/bcc.py
+++ b/bcc.py
@@ -1265,9 +1265,19 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
 
         root.addLayout(self._build_actionbar())
 
+        status_row = QHBoxLayout()
+        status_row.setContentsMargins(0, 0, 0, 0)
         self.status = QLabel("Ready.")
         self.status.setObjectName("statusbar")
-        root.addWidget(self.status)
+        status_row.addWidget(self.status, 1)
+        self.restart_btn = QPushButton("Restart Claude Desktop")
+        self.restart_btn.setToolTip(
+            "Quit and relaunch Claude Desktop so the saved config takes effect"
+        )
+        self.restart_btn.clicked.connect(self._restart_claude_desktop)
+        self.restart_btn.hide()
+        status_row.addWidget(self.restart_btn)
+        root.addLayout(status_row)
 
         self._restore_layout()
         self.reload_profiles()
@@ -1514,6 +1524,7 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         self.current_profile = profile
         self.servers = core.extract_servers(self.full_config)
         self.dirty = False
+        self.restart_btn.hide()
         self._undo_stack.clear()
         self.undo_btn.setEnabled(False)
         self._refresh_tables(select_index=0 if self.servers else -1)
@@ -1890,6 +1901,7 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
                     f"Merged & saved {self.current_profile.path}{bnote}"
                     f"  ·  Restart {self.current_profile.label} to apply."
                 )
+                self._offer_restart_button()
                 return
             # else OVERWRITE: fall through to normal write
 
@@ -1907,6 +1919,29 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
         self.status.setText(
             f"Saved {self.current_profile.path}{bnote}  ·  Restart {self.current_profile.label} to apply."
         )
+        self._offer_restart_button()
+
+    # --- restart Claude Desktop (issue #9) -------------------------------- #
+    def _offer_restart_button(self):
+        """Show the 'Restart Claude Desktop' button after a successful save,
+        but only when the just-saved profile is Claude Desktop -- restarting
+        makes no sense for Claude Code, which has no GUI process to bounce."""
+        if self.current_profile and core.profile_targets_claude_desktop(self.current_profile):
+            self.restart_btn.show()
+        else:
+            self.restart_btn.hide()
+
+    def _restart_claude_desktop(self):
+        self.restart_btn.setEnabled(False)
+        try:
+            result = core.restart_claude_desktop()
+        finally:
+            self.restart_btn.setEnabled(True)
+        self.restart_btn.hide()
+        if result.success:
+            self.status.setText(f"{self.status.text()}  ·  {result.detail}")
+        else:
+            QMessageBox.warning(self, "Restart failed", result.detail)
 
     def _restore_from_backup(self):
         if not self.current_profile:
@@ -1935,6 +1970,7 @@ class MainWindow(QMainWindow):
     # --- dirty / status -------------------------------------------------- #
     def _mark_dirty(self):
         self.dirty = True
+        self.restart_btn.hide()
         self._validate()
         self._update_status(saved=False)
 
diff --git a/bcc_core.py b/bcc_core.py
index 509efa5..fd79671 100644
--- a/bcc_core.py
+++ b/bcc_core.py
@@ -136,6 +136,17 @@ def profile_from_path(path: str | os.PathLike) -> Profile:
     return Profile(label=label, path=p, config_exists=p.is_file())
 
 
+def profile_targets_claude_desktop(profile: Profile) -> bool:
+    """
+    True when `profile` points at a Claude Desktop config
+    (claude_desktop_config.json), as opposed to Claude Code (~/.claude.json
+    or the legacy ~/.claude/settings.json). Used to gate Desktop-only actions
+    like "Restart Claude Desktop" so they never show up for a Claude Code
+    profile -- restarting the CLI makes no sense.
+    """
+    return Path(profile.path).name == CONFIG_FILENAME
+
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
 # Load / extract / apply
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
@@ -1522,3 +1533,91 @@ def pin_command_path(data: dict, path: str | None = None) -> tuple[dict, str | N
                     out["args"] = args
                     return out, f"'{c}'  →  {resolved}"
     return data, None
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# Restart Claude Desktop (issue #9)
+#
+# Scoped strictly to Claude DESKTOP, the GUI app -- never Claude Code (the
+# CLI), which has no long-running process to bounce. Callers should gate this
+# behind profile_targets_claude_desktop() before offering it in the UI.
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+class RestartResult(NamedTuple):
+    """Outcome of a restart_claude_desktop() attempt."""
+
+    success: bool
+    detail: str
+
+
+def _run_quiet(cmd: list[str]) -> None:
+    """Best-effort fire-and-forget command. Never raises: a nonzero exit (e.g.
+    pkill finding nothing to kill) is expected and not an error."""
+    with contextlib.suppress(OSError):
+        subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True)
+
+
+def _restart_claude_desktop_macos() -> RestartResult:
+    _run_quiet(["pkill", "-x", "Claude"])
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(["open", "-a", "Claude"], capture_output=True, text=True)
+    except OSError as e:
+        return RestartResult(False, f"Couldn't launch Claude Desktop: {e}")
+    if result.returncode != 0:
+        detail = (result.stderr or result.stdout or "").strip() or "'open -a Claude' failed"
+        return RestartResult(False, detail)
+    return RestartResult(True, "Claude Desktop restarted.")
+
+
+def _claude_windows_start_menu_shortcut() -> Path:
+    appdata = os.environ.get("APPDATA", str(Path.home()))
+    return Path(appdata) / "Microsoft" / "Windows" / "Start Menu" / "Programs" / "Claude.lnk"
+
+
+def _restart_claude_desktop_windows() -> RestartResult:
+    _run_quiet(["taskkill", "/IM", "Claude.exe", "/F"])
+    shortcut = _claude_windows_start_menu_shortcut()
+    try:
+        # `cmd /c start "" <target>` launches detached, the same as double-clicking
+        # the Start-menu shortcut, and returns immediately.
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            ["cmd", "/c", "start", "", str(shortcut)], capture_output=True, text=True
+        )
+    except OSError as e:
+        return RestartResult(False, f"Couldn't launch Claude Desktop: {e}")
+    if result.returncode != 0:
+        detail = (
+            result.stderr or result.stdout or ""
+        ).strip() or "failed to relaunch Claude Desktop"
+        return RestartResult(False, detail)
+    return RestartResult(True, "Claude Desktop restarted.")
+
+
+def _restart_claude_desktop_linux() -> RestartResult:
+    _run_quiet(["pkill", "claude"])
+    try:
+        # The Linux launcher is the app itself (no "open"-style helper), so it
+        # has to be started detached rather than waited on.
+        subprocess.Popen(
+            ["claude"],
+            stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            stderr=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            start_new_session=True,
+        )
+    except OSError as e:
+        return RestartResult(False, f"Couldn't launch Claude Desktop: {e}")
+    return RestartResult(True, "Claude Desktop restarted.")
+
+
+def restart_claude_desktop() -> RestartResult:
+    """
+    Kill and relaunch the Claude Desktop app so a freshly saved config takes
+    effect. The app not currently running is NOT a failure -- pkill/taskkill
+    exiting non-zero just means "nothing to kill", and we go straight to
+    relaunching. Only a failed relaunch is reported as success=False.
+    """
+    if sys.platform == "darwin":
+        return _restart_claude_desktop_macos()
+    if sys.platform.startswith("win"):
+        return _restart_claude_desktop_windows()
+    return _restart_claude_desktop_linux()
diff --git a/tests/test_core.py b/tests/test_core.py
index 89cada9..1f28ca8 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_core.py
@@ -754,3 +754,159 @@ def test_server_log_path_unsupported_platform_returns_none(tmp_path, monkeypatch
     monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "platform", "linux")
     monkeypatch.setattr(c.Path, "home", lambda: tmp_path)
     assert c.server_log_path("brave-search") is None
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# restart_claude_desktop / profile_targets_claude_desktop (issue #9)
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+def test_profile_targets_claude_desktop_true_for_desktop_config():
+    p = c.Profile(label="Claude", path="/x/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json", config_exists=True)
+    assert c.profile_targets_claude_desktop(p)
+
+
+def test_profile_targets_claude_desktop_false_for_claude_code():
+    p = c.Profile(label="Claude Code", path="/home/me/.claude.json", config_exists=True)
+    assert not c.profile_targets_claude_desktop(p)
+
+
+def test_profile_targets_claude_desktop_false_for_legacy_settings():
+    p = c.Profile(
+        label="Claude Code (legacy settings.json)",
+        path="/home/me/.claude/settings.json",
+        config_exists=True,
+    )
+    assert not c.profile_targets_claude_desktop(p)
+
+
+class _FakeCompletedProcess:
+    def __init__(self, returncode=0, stdout="", stderr=""):
+        self.returncode = returncode
+        self.stdout = stdout
+        self.stderr = stderr
+
+
+def test_restart_claude_desktop_macos_commands(monkeypatch):
+    """macOS: pkill -x "Claude" then open -a Claude, in that order."""
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        calls.append(cmd)
+        return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=0)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.sys, "platform", "darwin")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    result = c.restart_claude_desktop()
+    assert result.success
+    assert calls[0] == ["pkill", "-x", "Claude"]
+    assert calls[1] == ["open", "-a", "Claude"]
+
+
+def test_restart_claude_desktop_macos_pkill_not_running_is_fine(monkeypatch):
+    """pkill exiting non-zero (nothing to kill) must NOT be treated as failure."""
+
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        if cmd[0] == "pkill":
+            return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=1)  # no matching process
+        return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=0)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.sys, "platform", "darwin")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    result = c.restart_claude_desktop()
+    assert result.success
+
+
+def test_restart_claude_desktop_macos_relaunch_failure_reported(monkeypatch):
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        if cmd[0] == "open":
+            return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=1, stderr="Unable to find application")
+        return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=1)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.sys, "platform", "darwin")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    result = c.restart_claude_desktop()
+    assert not result.success
+    assert "Unable to find application" in result.detail
+
+
+def test_restart_claude_desktop_macos_pkill_binary_missing_does_not_raise(monkeypatch):
+    """pkill raising OSError (binary missing) must be swallowed, not propagated --
+    relaunch is still attempted."""
+
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        if cmd[0] == "pkill":
+            raise OSError("pkill not found")
+        return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=0)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.sys, "platform", "darwin")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    result = c.restart_claude_desktop()
+    assert result.success
+
+
+def test_restart_claude_desktop_windows_commands(monkeypatch):
+    """Windows: taskkill the process, then relaunch via the Start-menu shortcut."""
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        calls.append(cmd)
+        return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=0)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.sys, "platform", "win32")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    result = c.restart_claude_desktop()
+    assert result.success
+    assert calls[0] == ["taskkill", "/IM", "Claude.exe", "/F"]
+    assert calls[1][:3] == ["cmd", "/c", "start"]
+    assert calls[1][-1].endswith("Claude.lnk")
+
+
+def test_restart_claude_desktop_windows_relaunch_failure_reported(monkeypatch):
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        if cmd[0] == "cmd":
+            return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=1, stderr="not found")
+        return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=0)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.sys, "platform", "win32")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    result = c.restart_claude_desktop()
+    assert not result.success
+    assert "not found" in result.detail
+
+
+def test_restart_claude_desktop_linux_commands(monkeypatch):
+    """Linux: pkill claude, then relaunch via a detached Popen (no waiting)."""
+    run_calls = []
+    popen_calls = []
+
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        run_calls.append(cmd)
+        return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=0)
+
+    class _FakePopen:
+        def __init__(self, cmd, **kwargs):
+            popen_calls.append((cmd, kwargs))
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.sys, "platform", "linux")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "Popen", _FakePopen)
+    result = c.restart_claude_desktop()
+    assert result.success
+    assert run_calls == [["pkill", "claude"]]
+    cmd, kwargs = popen_calls[0]
+    assert cmd == ["claude"]
+    assert kwargs.get("start_new_session") is True
+
+
+def test_restart_claude_desktop_linux_popen_failure_reported(monkeypatch):
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        return _FakeCompletedProcess(returncode=0)
+
+    def fake_popen(cmd, **kwargs):
+        raise OSError("no such file or directory")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.sys, "platform", "linux")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "run", fake_run)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(c.subprocess, "Popen", fake_popen)
+    result = c.restart_claude_desktop()
+    assert not result.success
+    assert "Claude Desktop" in result.detail