Getting Started with Claude Cowork
Claude Cowork brings Claude Code's agent abilities to everyday knowledge work, with no terminal. You describe an outcome, such as "organise my Downloads folder" or "turn these notes into a 10-slide deck", and Claude plans the steps, works through them, and hands back finished files. Tasks run in Anthropic's cloud by default, so they keep going when you close your laptop.
The earlier version described Cowork as a team "workspace" at claude.ai/cowork, with workspace creation, CSV member imports and Owner/Admin/Member/Viewer roles. Cowork isn't a separate workspace product; it's a way of working inside the Claude apps you already use. Everything below comes from Anthropic's Help Center and docs.
Anthropic is merging Cowork and chat into one experience, rolling out gradually on Pro and Max. If your message box no longer shows "Chat" and "Cowork", you have it: describe the task in any conversation and Claude decides whether it's a quick answer or a task. Team and Enterprise keep the separate modes for now. (Help Center)
Who has it, and where
| Surface | Availability |
|---|---|
| Claude Desktop (macOS, Windows) | All paid plans. The full experience, including local files, the built-in browser and computer use |
| Web (claude.ai) | Pro, Max, Team (beta); Enterprise where an admin enables it |
| Claude mobile (iOS, Android) | Pro, Max, Team (beta); Enterprise where enabled |
| Claude in Chrome side panel | Max and Team, rolling out to Pro; Enterprise where enabled |
Cowork is not on the Free plan. Local files, browser use and computer use need Claude Desktop open and connected, even though the session itself runs in the cloud. See plans & pricing.
Start a task
- Open Claude on the web, desktop or mobile.
- In the message box select Cowork. In the new Claude experience there's no selector; just describe the task.
- Describe the outcome, review Claude's plan, and let it run. You can steer mid-task, check in from another device, or walk away.
Claude breaks big jobs into sub-agents working in parallel, runs code in an isolated environment on Anthropic's servers, and delivers documents, spreadsheets with working formulas, and presentations you can download. It always asks before permanently deleting files.
Choose how much Claude checks with you
| Mode | What happens |
|---|---|
| Manual (default; formerly "Ask before acting") | Claude asks before actions and you allow or deny each one |
| Auto ("Automatically approve") | Claude keeps going, safety-checking each action for things like data exfiltration or prompt injection and blocking anything unsafe. It uses more of your usage limit |
| Skip (formerly "Act without asking") | No pauses and no automatic checks. Only for tasks where you trust every action, connector and file involved |
Per-connector settings still apply: tools set to "Blocked" are always denied. In the new Claude experience the options are Auto and Manual. On Team and Enterprise, owners decide whether Auto is available.
Give it context: instructions, connectors, plugins
- Global instructions (Settings → Cowork, or Instructions for Claude in Settings → General in the new experience): tone, format and background that apply to every task.
- Folder instructions: project-specific context when you connect a local folder on desktop. See instructions & memory.
- Connectors (Gmail, Google Drive, Microsoft 365, Slack…): from the "+" menu or Customize → Connectors. Claude prefers a connector over the browser, and the browser over clicking your screen.
- Plugins bundle skills, connectors and sub-agents for a role. See skills & plugins.
- Projects group tasks with their own files, instructions and memory. See projects.
Recurring work
Type /schedule in a task, or open Scheduled in the sidebar, to have Claude run a task on a cadence, such as a Monday inbox summary. Scheduled tasks run remotely, even when your computer is asleep, but a task that needs local files or apps will only run locally; when you set one up manually you can optionally pick a folder for it to work in. Anthropic advises starting with low-risk tasks like summaries and not scheduling anything that sends messages or makes purchases (scheduled tasks).
For Team and Enterprise admins
- Cowork is on by default; turn it off in Organization settings → Cowork. Enterprise can enable it per group with custom roles.
- "Run Cowork in the cloud" is a separate toggle: on by default for Team, off by default for Enterprise.
- Control the built-in browser, Claude in Chrome, whether "Automatically approve" is allowed, and whether members may "Always allow" write-capable connector tools.
- Activity is captured in the Compliance API and can be streamed to your SIEM through OpenTelemetry.
Details: Cowork on Team and Enterprise · architecture overview. Before connecting anything sensitive, read the safety guidance.
Sources: the Claude Help Center — Claude Cowork, especially Get started with Claude Cowork. Checked 2026-10-09.
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