Claude Cowork is now available on web and mobile in addition to desktop. Cowork runs your sessions remotely (in beta), so your sessions and files live with your Claude account and go where you go, on any device. This article explains how to start a Cowork session and what's available on each surface.
Claude Cowork is in beta on web and mobile, and rolling out over the next several weeks starting with the Max plan, with more plans to follow.
Start a Cowork session
Chat and Cowork share one home, so you start both from the same place. On any surface, find the message box, select "Cowork" in the bottom left corner, then describe your task. To go back to a regular conversation, select "Chat."
Web: Go to claude.ai and find the “Home” tab.
Mobile: Open the latest version of Claude for iOS or Claude for Android. If you don't see the Cowork option in the message box, update the app.
Desktop: Open the latest version of the Claude Desktop app. If you don't see the Cowork option in the message box, update the app. Desktop is the full Cowork experience, where Claude can also use your local files and browser.
How remote sessions work
In a remote session, Claude's work runs on Anthropic's servers instead of your computer, and your sessions and files are saved to your Claude account. This changes what Cowork can do:
Work continues in the background. Close your laptop and Claude keeps going.
Scheduled tasks run with no device online.
The same sessions and files are available on desktop, web, and mobile.
Sessions run remotely on every surface.
For details on how remote and local sessions are isolated and what each can access, see Claude Cowork architecture overview. For safety guidance, see Use Claude Cowork safely.
What's available on each surface
Remote sessions are in beta, and some features aren’t available yet. Here's what you can use on each surface today:
Feature | Desktop | Web | Mobile |
Start, steer, and review tasks | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Resume a session started on another surface | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Connectors | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Skills and plugins | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Preview files Claude creates | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Scheduled tasks | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Projects | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Live artifacts | ✅ |
|
|
Local file access | ✅ | ✅* | ✅* |
Browser use | ✅ | ✅* | ✅* |
Computer use | ✅ | ✅* | ✅* |
A few notes on the table:
*Local file access, local connectors, browser use, and computer use from web and mobile work through the Claude Desktop app. A remote session can read and write files in folders you've connected on your computer only while the desktop app is open on that computer. If the app is closed, the session keeps running but can't reach your local files.
Projects are available on every surface. From a project you can start a chat or a Cowork session, and Claude uses the project's knowledge as context. Projects tied to a local folder support Cowork sessions on desktop only, and Cowork won't change a project's contents, so add anything you want to keep to the project yourself. For more information, see Organize your tasks with projects in Claude Cowork and Use live artifacts in Claude Cowork.
Live artifacts are available on the desktop app only. For more information, see Use live artifacts in Claude Cowork.
Local connectors and plugins that include local MCP servers work through the desktop app only.
Scheduled tasks run remotely, so they no longer need your computer to be awake. For more information, see Schedule recurring tasks in Claude Cowork.
Computer use is a research preview for Pro and Max plans. For more information, see Let Claude use your computer in Cowork.
What requires the desktop app
Some capabilities reach things on your computer, so they need the Claude Desktop app open on your machine, even when your session runs remotely:
Local file access. Claude reads and writes files in folders you've connected on your computer. A remote session reaches these files only while the desktop app is open, only for folders you've connected, and with the permissions you've already set.
Local connectors. This includes plugins using those connectors.
Browser use. Claude works in your browser through Claude in Chrome.
Computer use. Claude clicks, types, and navigates your screen directly.
Move between surfaces
Remote sessions follow your account, so you can switch surfaces mid-task:
Start a task on any surface.
Open the same session from another surface to check progress, answer Claude's questions, or redirect the work.
Pick up the finished output wherever you are.
When Claude finishes a task or needs your input, you'll get a notification on your phone. To get started, see Get started with Claude Cowork.