Getting Started with Claude Cowork

Claude Cowork is a research preview that brings Claude Code's agentic capabilities to Claude Desktop for knowledge work beyond coding. Instead of responding to prompts one at a time, Claude can take on complex, multi-step tasks and execute them on your behalf.

What is Cowork?

Cowork uses the same agentic architecture that powers Claude Code, now accessible within Claude Desktop without opening the terminal. With Cowork, you can describe an outcome, step away, and come back to finished work - formatted documents, organized files, synthesized research, and more.

Key Features

Cowork offers several powerful capabilities:

Direct Local File Access: Claude can read from and write to your local files without manual uploads or downloads
Sub-agent Coordination: Claude breaks complex work into smaller tasks and coordinates parallel workstreams
Professional Outputs: Generate polished deliverables like Excel spreadsheets with working formulas, PowerPoint presentations, and formatted documents
Long-Running Tasks: Work on complex tasks for extended periods without conversation timeouts or context limits

Requirements

Before you start, make sure you have:

Claude Desktop for macOS - Cowork is only available on macOS
Claude Max subscription - Required for access to the research preview
Active internet connection - Required throughout the session

Getting Started

Step 1: Open Claude Desktop

Launch the Claude Desktop application on your Mac.

Step 2: Switch to Cowork Mode

Look for the mode selector that includes "Chat" and the Cowork tab. Click the Cowork tab to switch modes to "Tasks".

Step 3: Describe Your Task

Tell Claude what you want to accomplish. Be specific about:

The desired outcome
Input files or data sources
Output format you need

Step 4: Review and Run

Review Claude's planned approach, then let it run. You can:

Monitor progress in real-time
Jump in to course-correct mid-task
Step away and return when finished

Example Use Cases

File Organization

Task: "Organize my Downloads folder by type and date"

Claude will sort hundreds of files into categorized folders automatically.

Research Synthesis

Task: "Combine information from these articles and web searches into a report on [topic]"

Claude will synthesize multiple sources into a coherent, formatted report.

Expense Reports

Task: "Create an expense report from the receipts in this folder"

Claude will generate an Excel file with working formulas and proper formatting.

Data Analysis

Task: "Analyze this dataset for outliers and create visualizations"

Claude will perform statistical analysis and generate charts from your data.

Best Practices

Be Specific About Outputs

Instead of: "Help me with my files"

Try: "Organize all files in ~/Downloads into folders by type (Documents, Images, Videos) with YYYY-MM-DD date prefix in filenames"

Review Before Sensitive Operations

Cowork has access to files you grant permission to. Always review Claude's planned actions before allowing changes to sensitive files.

Use for Complex, Multi-Step Tasks

Cowork shines with tasks that benefit from:

File access and manipulation
Extended execution time
Parallel workstreams
Professional document output

For simple questions, regular Chat mode may be more appropriate.

Current Limitations

As a research preview, Cowork has some limitations:

macOS only - Not available on Windows or web
No projects support - Cannot use within Projects yet
No memory across sessions - Each session starts fresh
App must stay open - Closing Claude Desktop ends the session

Safety and Security

Cowork runs in a virtual machine (VM) on your computer, providing:

Isolation from your main operating system
Controlled environment with defined file access boundaries

You control which files Claude can access and can review planned actions before execution.

Conclusion

Claude Cowork transforms how you handle complex knowledge work. From file organization to research synthesis, it brings AI-powered automation to tasks that previously required hours of manual effort.

Start with a simple task like organizing a folder, then explore more complex workflows as you become familiar with Cowork's capabilities.