To use Claude Cowork, open Claude on an eligible paid plan, start a Cowork task if that option appears, describe the outcome you want, and review Claude’s plan before it works. You can monitor progress and redirect it. If your message box no longer has separate Chat and Cowork choices, use a conversation to describe the task instead: Anthropic is rolling out a unified Claude experience. (Claude Help Center)
Cowork is intended for multi-step knowledge work—such as organizing files, synthesizing research, or creating a report—not just quick question-and-answer exchanges. It does not require a terminal. (Claude Help Center)
1. Check whether and where you can use Cowork
Anthropic’s Help Center lists Cowork for paid Pro, Max, Ultra, Team, and Enterprise plans. Claude Desktop for macOS, Windows, and Linux (beta) is listed on all paid plans. Web and mobile are listed for Pro, Max, Ultra, and Team—with Team access in beta—and for Enterprise when an owner enables them. The Chrome side panel is listed for all paid plans; Enterprise organizations may need an owner to enable Claude in Chrome and Cowork in the cloud. Availability and interface labels can vary by plan, rollout, and organization settings. (Claude Help Center)
Choose a surface based on your task:
- Web or mobile: Start or check on cloud-based work where those surfaces are enabled.
- Desktop for local resources: The documented local file, browser, and computer-use workflow requires Claude Desktop for macOS or Windows, open and connected. The Help Center lists Linux Desktop as beta, but does not establish that this local-resource workflow is available on Linux.
- Chrome side panel: Opening the panel starts a Cowork session directly, where this option is available.
An active internet connection is required throughout a Cowork session. Cloud tasks can continue after you close your laptop, but for a task that needs local files, your browser, or your computer, keep the supported Desktop app open and connected so Claude can reach those resources. (Claude Help Center)
2. Start and guide a task
- Open Claude on the web, in the desktop app, or in the mobile app, if available on your plan.
- If the message box shows Cowork, select it. If you have the unified experience and there is no Cowork selector, describe the task in a conversation instead.
- State the outcome you want, the information Claude should use, and any boundaries it should follow.
- Review Claude’s proposed approach. Let it run, check its progress, and provide corrections or context when needed.
- Preview the output and check important facts, calculations, links, and file changes before relying on it.
Anthropic says Cowork can plan a request, break complex work into subtasks, show progress, and let you steer while it works. These are documented capabilities, not a guarantee that every result will be complete or correct. (Claude Help Center)
Example task brief
The following is editorial prompt-writing guidance, not an official Anthropic template:
Review the files in the folder I selected and draft a one-page project status report for the week ending [date]. Use only those files. Separate confirmed facts from open questions, cite the source filename for each key update, and flag conflicting dates. Save a draft in a new file; do not overwrite or delete anything. First tell me which files you plan to use, then show me the draft for review.
This bounded request is an example for work such as synthesizing documents—one of the task types Anthropic lists for Cowork. Give Claude access only to the folders and connected tools the task needs. (Claude Help Center)
3. Set access and approvals thoughtfully
Cowork’s cloud execution is distinct from its access to your local resources. Claude can work with local files, browse websites, or use apps when you provide the relevant access. Limit that access to what the task needs, and pay special attention to actions that change or send something. (Claude Help Center)
Approval choices and controls can depend on your Claude experience, plan, and organization settings. In the documented modes:
- Manual pauses for approval so you can allow or deny actions.
- Auto is intended to reduce interruptions while checking actions, but Anthropic warns that safeguards are not perfect.
- Skip does not automatically check actions; avoid it unless you fully trust every action and resource involved.
For work with real consequences—such as sending messages, handling money, or changing important files—stay close and review the actions. Anthropic says Cowork requires your permission before permanently deleting files. (Claude Help Center)
One important boundary: network egress settings do not cover every way Cowork can access online information. The Help Center specifically excludes web fetch, web search, and MCPs from those egress permissions. Do not treat a network restriction alone as a complete control over those tools. (Claude Help Center)
4. Review the deliverable and manage usage
Treat a finished file as a draft to inspect, not as proof that its contents are correct. Check source support, totals and formulas, date ranges, and whether Claude changed the right files. For research tasks, ask for source names or links and verify decision-critical claims yourself.
Anthropic notes that multi-step tasks—especially those using code, files, connected apps, or a browser—use more of your plan’s usage than a quick question. Its suggestions include combining related work into one task, starting a new conversation for unrelated work, and specifying when you need only a quick answer rather than a finished deliverable. The cited Cowork guidance does not give a universal numerical quota or per-task cost. (Claude Help Center)
Is Claude Cowork the same as a production API?
The Cowork app workflow and the Claude API are distinct routes. The Cowork documentation describes using Claude through Claude products; it does not establish that Cowork itself is callable as an API. Anthropic separately documents an API for programmatic access to Claude models and Claude Managed Agents. (Claude API overview)
For a separate API integration, consult Anthropic’s current API documentation for model selection, authentication, request handling, and operational requirements. Those API instructions are not steps for launching Cowork in the Claude app, and an app subscription should not be assumed to provide API access. The available Cowork sources do not establish a production API endpoint for the Cowork app feature. (Claude API overview)
In short: use Cowork in Claude when you want to delegate and supervise a task in the Claude experience; use Anthropic’s separate API documentation when building software that calls a Claude model.