Claude Cowork Moves Beyond the Desktop

Anthropic is expanding its Claude Cowork AI platform beyond the desktop for the first time. Starting Tuesday, the tool is available through web browsers and on iOS and Android, giving users a way to continue Cowork tasks away from a Mac or Windows computer.

The rollout is initially open to Max subscribers, with Anthropic saying access will reach users on other Claude plans in the coming weeks. Until now, Claude Cowork was available only inside the Claude desktop app. Mobile and web users now have access, but Anthropic still describes the desktop app as the full experience because features such as local file access remain there.

Cloud processing is now the default, so a Cowork session can be picked up on another device or continue running in the background even when a laptop is closed. Desktop users can still switch to local processing. Scheduled tasks can run even when none of a user's devices are online, and Claude can send phone notifications when a Cowork task is ready for review or approval. Anthropic is also extending doubled Cowork usage limits through a reported date of August 5, though that date appears inconsistent with the timing of the announcement.

What the Mobile and Web Rollout Means for Claude Cowork

From desktop tool to cross-device assistant

The cloud-by-default change is significant because it changes how people can use Cowork. The verified point is that sessions now run in the cloud, are resumable across devices, and scheduled tasks can execute with no device online. The interpretation is that Cowork becomes more like a standing assistant that users can check in on from a phone, rather than a task they must finish on one computer. Approvals and reviews no longer require returning to the same laptop, which lowers the practical barrier to using the tool throughout the day.

A premium-first, desktop-centered rollout

Anthropic is keeping local file access and the full experience on desktop, which suggests the desktop app is still intended as the main workspace while mobile and web serve as control and review channels. This matters for users working with sensitive files because desktop users can opt for local processing, while mobile and web default to cloud use. The initial availability for Max subscribers only is a business choice that rewards the highest-value customers and creates a controlled rollout before wider availability.

What Claude Cowork Users Can Do During the Rollout

For existing and prospective Claude Cowork users, the announcement changes only some parts of the experience for now.

  • Max subscribers: You can try Cowork on web, iOS, and Android now; access for other plans follows in the coming weeks.
  • Keep the desktop app for full capability: Local file access and the full Cowork experience remain on desktop, so continue using that version for tasks that depend on local files or local processing.
  • Decide how you want tasks processed: Cloud processing is now the default for resuming work across devices and running background tasks. Desktop users can switch to local processing if they prefer.
  • Verify the usage-limit date: The doubled Cowork limits are reported through August 5, but that date may be a typo or already past given the announcement context. Check Anthropic's current plan details before relying on it.