Anthropic’s agent-based work platform, Claude Cowork, has so far been exclusively a desktop application for Windows and macOS. That’s changing now: The beta version is launching on the web and mobile devices, initially exclusively for subscribers to the Claude Max plan.
Start, monitor, and resume tasks—on any device
With this expansion, long-running, multi-step AI tasks can now also be started and managed directly from a smartphone on iOS and Android. The update will be rolled out gradually over the coming weeks. Anthropic announced that it will make the feature available for other subscription tiers at a later date, though it has not yet provided a specific timeline. The key benefit lies in cross-device synchronization: workflows can be started on a desktop PC, monitored on a smartphone while on the go, and then seamlessly resumed on any connected device.
Agentic Loops now run in the cloud
The most important technical component of the update is that tasks are executed by default on Anthropic’s servers rather than on the local device. This allows multi-step workflows—such as summarizing email conversations overnight, analyzing the latest industry news, or creating extensive briefing documents—to continue even when the computer is turned off or offline. This is part of Anthropic’s latest expansions to Cowork functionality, following the company’s recent introduction of Claude Tag, a similar approach to teamwork in Slack.
Focus on Knowledge Work Rather Than Coding
In parallel with the cross-platform rollout, Anthropic has published internal usage data based on the analysis of 1.2 million anonymized sessions from more than 600,000 companies. Contrary to the widespread assumption that agent-based AI is primarily aimed at software developers, only 8.7 percent of all active Cowork sessions were dedicated to programming tasks. Instead, more than 90 percent of usage focused on traditional knowledge work: Everyday administrative tasks, such as reconciling expenses or consolidating scattered team updates, accounted for the largest share at 33.4 percent, followed by general writing and content tasks at 16.4 percent.
Desktop Remains Essential for Local Tasks
Despite the new web and mobile interfaces, some functions remain tied to the desktop application. Access to local files and browser control still require the Claude desktop app to be running in the background. For extensive workflows involving local documents, Anthropic therefore recommends keeping the desktop client open, even if a task is initiated or monitored via a smartphone or browser. Anthropic also relies on additional security mechanisms for automation: If Claude reaches a step that requires a human decision, or if an email is about to be sent, the platform sends a notification to the smartphone and requests explicit confirmation.
Price and Availability
Claude Cowork for web and mobile devices is initially available exclusively to subscribers of the Claude Max plan, starting at 90 euros per month, and can be accessed via the homepage at claude.ai as well as through the sidebar of the Claude apps for iOS and Android. Those still on a lower-priced plan can already access a powerful model with Claude Sonnet 5, which, according to Anthropic, comes close to the top-of-the-line Opus 4.8.
