Anthropic shipped native computer control for Claude on Monday. The feature, available as a research preview in Claude Cowork and Claude Code, lets Claude operate your Mac directly - opening applications, navigating your browser, and filling in spreadsheets without handing over any passwords.

How It Works

When you describe a task, Claude picks the fastest path to completion. It uses connectors for integrated tools like Slack, Chrome for web research, or direct screen control to interact with apps that don't have a native integration. The system works through screenshot capture, mouse control, and keyboard input - anything you'd do sitting at your desk.

Claude shows you its plan before acting and waits for approval at significant steps. You choose which folders and connectors it can access, and conversation history stays stored locally on your device rather than on Anthropic's servers.

Availability and Pricing

The feature is macOS-only for now and available on all paid Claude plans. Pro subscribers ($17/month) get access with faster limit consumption. Max plans at $100/month (5x) and $200/month (20x) offer heavier usage allowances. Team and Enterprise plans include it standard.

Users can pair the desktop app with mobile, continuing conversations across devices. Claude remembers context across sessions, and recurring tasks can be scheduled to run automatically - morning briefings, weekly spreadsheet updates, or team presentations.

Anthropic notes that agent safety is still in development and recommends confirming before Claude handles financial, personal, or work-critical tasks.