Anthropic’s Claude Code and Cowork can control your computer | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersArchivesStoreVerge Product UpdatesSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Anthropic’s Claude Code and Cowork can control your computerComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...AICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AINewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechAnthropic’s Claude Code and Cowork can control your computerThe research preview is currently limited to macOS devices.The research preview is currently limited to macOS devices.by Jess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedNews ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess WeatherbedMar 24, 2026, 1:32 PM UTCLinkShareGiftClaude will ask you for permission to autonomously perform taks on your computer. Image by AnthropicJess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess Weatherbed is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.Anthropic has updated Claude to perform tasks in its Code and Cowork AI tools autonomously by using your computer for you. The new feature can be used to automatically open files, use web browsers and apps, and run dev tools “with no setup required,” even when you’re away from your computer, according to Anthropic’s announcement.These new capabilities are available as a research preview for Claude Pro and Max subscribers, and computer usage is limited to macOS “for now,” according to Anthropic. The feature builds on autonomous capabilities that were introduced on Claude’s 3.5 Sonnet AI model in 2024, but now brings those to the chatbot’s Code and Cowork AI agents for programmers.To access the feature, the Claude desktop app must be running on a supported macOS device and paired with the chatbot’s mobile app. The update works by prioritizing connectors to supported services first, such as Slack and Google Workspace apps, but will still execute tasks if a connector isn’t available by directly controlling your browser, mouse, keyboard, and display. Anthropic says Claude will “always ask for your explicit permission” before exploring, scrolling, and clicking as needed to complete a task.The feature works “especially well” with Dispatch, according to Anthropic — a recent cross-device feature that allows you to assign tasks to the Claude desktop app from your phone — but it won’t always work perfectly. “Complex tasks sometimes need a second try, and working through your screen is slower than using a direct integration,” the company said in its announcement blog. “We’re sharing it early because we want to learn where it works and where it falls short.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Jess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedNews ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess WeatherbedAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AIAnthropicCloseAnthropicPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AnthropicNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularNvidia CEO Jensen Huang says ‘I think we’ve achieved AGI’The US government just banned consumer routers made outside the USDonut Lab’s solid-state battery could barely hold a charge after getting damagedConfronting the CEO of the AI company that impersonated meVideoSome writing advice from Project Hail Mary’s Andy WeirThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Anthropic has introduced a significant advancement in its Claude AI tools with the release of “Code and Cowork,” enabling the chatbot to autonomously control a user’s computer. This research preview, currently limited to macOS devices, represents an expansion of existing autonomous capabilities initially introduced within the 3.5 Sonnet AI model in 2024. The core functionality allows Claude to perform tasks such as opening files, navigating web browsers and applications, and operating development tools – all without direct user intervention. Importantly, Anthropic emphasizes that this feature operates with “no setup required,” even when the user is not physically present at their computer.

The system’s operation relies on pairing the Claude desktop application, which must be running on a supported macOS device, with the chatbot’s mobile app. Claude prioritizes connections to supported services like Slack and Google Workspace applications; however, if a specific connector isn't available, it can directly control the user’s browser, mouse, keyboard, and display to complete the assigned task. According to Anthropic, a critical element of this feature is the requirement for explicit user permission before any action is taken, including browsing, scrolling, and clicking.

While the feature demonstrates notable potential, Anthropic acknowledges its current limitations. It performs particularly well with Dispatch, a cross-device feature facilitating task assignment from a mobile device to the Claude desktop app. However, complex tasks may require multiple attempts, and the process of directly controlling the computer interface is acknowledged as slower than integrated interactions. Anthropic frames the release as an early research preview, indicating a commitment to gather user feedback and identify areas for improvement. The company’s stated goal is to understand where the functionality excels and where it falls short, ultimately optimizing the system’s efficiency and reliability. The research preview is currently limited to macOS devices.