Claude Desktop
Anthropic's native desktop app for macOS and Windows, with Cowork for autonomous knowledge work, Computer Use, and Dispatch for mobile task assignment.
What it is
Claude Desktop is Anthropic's native application for macOS and Windows that serves as a hub for three distinct modes: Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code. While the Chat mode mirrors the claude.ai web experience, the real differentiators are Cowork and its supporting features. Cowork is an agentic system designed for non-technical knowledge work: file organization, document preparation, research synthesis, data extraction, and spreadsheet or presentation generation. It runs tasks inside an isolated virtual machine on your local computer with direct read and write access to folders you grant. Dispatch lets you assign tasks from your phone, and Computer Use (research preview) lets Claude see and interact with your screen. Desktop Extensions provide one-click installation of local MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers, which are integrations that connect Claude to external tools and services. Claude Desktop is aimed at everyone from researchers and analysts to operations teams and developers, making it the most accessible entry point into Claude's agentic capabilities.
Who it is for
Non-technical knowledge workers who want an AI assistant that can produce real files: spreadsheets, documents, presentations, and research reports
Anyone who wants to assign AI tasks from their phone and pick up the results on their computer
Teams that need controlled, auditable AI access with admin-managed plugins and extensions
Researchers and analysts who need Claude to read local files, synthesize information, and produce polished deliverables
Users who want one-click integrations with external tools without any technical setup
Developers who also want Cowork and Chat alongside Claude Code in a single application
Pros and cons
Pros
- +Purpose-built for non-technical knowledge work. Cowork produces polished business deliverables (Excel with formulas, PowerPoint, formatted documents) without requiring any technical skill.
- +Local file access means Claude works with your actual files on your computer, not just uploaded copies. Changes are real and immediate.
- +Dispatch lets you assign tasks from your phone. Claude works on your desktop while you are away and notifies you when the task is complete.
- +Desktop Extensions make integrations genuinely one-click. Double-click an .mcpb file or browse the built-in directory. No command line, no configuration files.
- +Combines Chat, Cowork, and Claude Code in a single application. Dispatch automatically routes tasks to the right mode based on whether they are knowledge work or development.
- +Sandboxed execution environment. Cowork runs code inside an isolated virtual machine, so agentic tasks cannot accidentally damage your system.
- +Enterprise-ready with MDM support, extension allowlists and blocklists, private extension directories, role-based access controls, and usage analytics.
Cons
- −Cowork requires the Desktop app to remain open and the computer to stay awake. Tasks stop if you close the app or your computer sleeps.
- −Computer Use is limited to Pro and Max plans as a research preview. Team and Enterprise plans do not have access as of June 2026.
- −Cowork consumes more usage allocation than standard chat because multi-step agentic tasks are computationally intensive. Heavy users will likely need a Max plan.
- −No Linux desktop app. Linux users must use Claude Code (terminal) or claude.ai (web) instead.
- −Dispatch currently supports only a single persistent thread. You cannot run multiple independent Dispatch conversations in parallel.
- −Scheduled tasks only run locally. If your computer is asleep when a task is scheduled, it skips and runs when the computer wakes up.
Pricing
- All three modes: Chat, Cowork, Claude Code
- Cowork with local file access and scheduled tasks
- Desktop Extensions (one-click MCP servers)
- Dispatch (assign tasks from mobile)
- Everything in Pro
- 5x higher usage limits
- Priority access during high traffic
- Everything in Pro
- 20x higher usage limits
- Highest priority access
- Chat, Cowork, Claude Code
- Admin controls for connectors and extensions
- SSO and enterprise desktop deployment
- Everything in Team Standard
- 5x more usage than Standard seats
- $100/seat/mo if billed annually
- Everything in Team
- Usage billed as you go at API rates
- Admins set user and org spend limits
Prices change; check the official pricing →