Cowork now gives you one continuous conversation with Claude that you can reach from your phone or your desktop. Assign Claude a task, go do something else, and come back to the finished work. Claude runs on your computer—with access to your local files, connectors, and plugins—and messages you the result when it's done.
This capability is a research preview in Cowork, rolling out gradually to Max plans starting today, and Pro plans starting tomorrow. It requires both the Claude Desktop app and the Claude mobile app.
Requirements
To use this capability, you need:
The most recent version of the Claude Desktop app installed and running on your computer (macOS or Windows x64). Your computer must be awake and the app must be open for Claude to work on tasks. Download or update at claude.com/download.
The most recent version of the Claude mobile app installed on your phone. Existing mobile app users will need to update to the latest version before using this capability.
A Pro or Max plan.
An active internet connection on both devices.
How it works
Instead of starting a new session for each task, you have a single persistent thread with Claude. This thread doesn't reset—Claude retains context from previous tasks, so you can pick up where you left off.
Message Claude from your phone on the way to work, then follow up from your desktop when you sit down. It's the same conversation, same context, wherever you reach it.
When you assign a task, Claude works on your desktop computer using the files, connectors, and plugins you've already set up in Cowork. Claude messages you the outcome—a spreadsheet, a memo, a comparison table—rather than showing you every step of the process.
Get started
Follow these steps to get started:
Download or update Claude Desktop.
Download or update Claude for iOS/Android.
Open Cowork on either your phone or your desktop.
Click “Dispatch” on the left side panel.
You’ll land on a page describing the functionality. Click “Get started”:
On the next screen, you can give Claude access to your files and keep your computer awake by toggling those on:
Click “Finish setup.”
Start messaging Claude within the “Dispatch” section.
After completing these steps, your continuous conversation with Claude syncs across both surfaces automatically.
What you can do
From your phone, you can hand Claude tasks that use everything on your desktop, including things you can't open on your phone. For example:
Ask Claude to pull data from a local spreadsheet and compile a summary report.
Have Claude search your Slack messages and email, then draft a briefing document.
Request a formatted presentation built from files in your Google Drive.
Tell Claude to organize or process files in a specific folder on your computer.
Claude uses the same connectors, plugins, and file access you've already configured in Cowork. You don't need to set anything up separately for mobile.
Retrieve files and outputs
When Claude finishes a task that produces a file, you can access it directly from mobile or find it on your desktop at the location Claude specifies.
Safety considerations
From your phone, you can now access everything on your desktop through Claude—including files, connectors, and any plugins you've installed. Be mindful of what access you've granted Claude in Cowork, since this capability extends that access to a mobile surface.
Giving a mobile AI agent remote control of a desktop AI agent creates a chain where instructions from your phone can trigger real actions on your computer—including reading, moving, or deleting local files, interacting with connected services, and controlling your browser. This is powerful, but it also means mistakes (or malicious content the model encounters along the way) can have real consequences. A manipulated instruction, an unexpected command, or a phishing link opened in your browser could cascade into actions that are difficult or impossible to undo.
Before enabling this, make sure you:
Trust every app and service in the chain
Understand what files and accounts are accessible
Know how to quickly disconnect or revoke access
Only connect these agents if you're comfortable with what they could do, not just what you intend them to do.
For additional safety guidance, see Use Cowork safely.
Current limitations
This is a research preview with the following limitations:
Your desktop must be active. Claude works on your desktop computer. If your computer is asleep or the Claude Desktop app is closed, Claude can't work on tasks. If Claude Desktop goes offline in the middle of a task
Claude responds to messages only. Claude won't reach out proactively—it only works on tasks you assign.
One continuous thread. There's no way to start a new thread or manage multiple threads. All messages live in a single conversation.
No notifications when tasks complete. There are currently no notifications on mobile or desktop when Claude completes a task.
No scheduled tasks in this thread. Scheduled tasks are managed separately. See Schedule recurring tasks in Cowork for details.