Claude Cowork Goes Mobile: Anthropic Expands Always-On AI Task Agent to Phones and Web

Anthropic has expanded Claude Cowork, its agentic task automation tool, from desktop-only to mobile and web interfaces. The update removes the requirement to keep a laptop active for tasks to run, enabling overnight execution and cross-device orchestration. Beta access is rolling out first to Max plan subscribers, with broader availability expected in the coming weeks.

What happened

Claude Cowork is now available through the Claude smartphone app and web browser, allowing users to start, monitor, and retrieve tasks without an active desktop session. Previously, the Dispatch feature required the desktop app to remain open and the computer awake for tasks to continue. The new approach lets tasks run in the background and be ready for review by morning.

Anthropic demonstrated the feature with a business deal renewal scenario: a single prompt instructed Cowork to gather data from email threads, Slack channels, meeting transcripts, and recent online chatter, then generate a meeting reference document and a prewritten email. This illustrates the cross-device task orchestration now possible.

The rollout is in beta, initially for Max plan subscribers at a starting price of $100 per month. Anthropic plans to expand access to Pro plan subscribers at $20 per month in the following weeks. Free-tier access remains unclear, as free users do not currently have access to Claude Cowork in their subscriber tier.

Why AI builders should care

For teams building AI products and workflows, this move signals a shift toward persistent, cross-device automation that runs independently of a single machine. More than 90 percent of Cowork usage comes from everyday knowledge work rather than software development, with business operations and content creation representing roughly half of all activity. Tasks include reconciling quarterly spending, converting contracts into renewal trackers, or building presentations from call transcripts.

This places Claude Cowork within a broader industry trend toward always-on, semiautonomous AI agents. OpenAI launched Codex Remote in June, and Google launched Spark, both offering similar capabilities. Anthropic is merging the Claude chatbot interface and the Cowork agent into a unified experience on web and desktop, with projects and artifacts accessible across both.

Practical implications

On web and desktop, chat and Cowork now share a single unified interface, with projects and artifacts accessible across both experiences from launch. The desktop app remains the most complete version, retaining access to local files and browser integration. Mobile and web versions extend access to users who could not install the desktop application.

Anthropic is doubling Cowork usage limits through Aug. 5 to coincide with the launch. The company emphasized that Claude will still pause and ask for input when a decision requires human judgment, and that no output is finalized without user review.

Caveats

Beta access is limited to Max plan subscribers initially, with expansion to other plans expected but not yet scheduled. Pricing and free-tier access are not fully clarified in the available sources. Security considerations remain, including the risk of prompt injections or other exploits when agents operate with access to emails, calendars, and messaging apps. The desktop app retains the most complete feature set, so mobile and web users may encounter limitations compared to the desktop experience.

FAQs

What is Claude Cowork and how does it work on mobile?

Claude Cowork is an agentic tool that delegates multistep work tasks, now extended to mobile and web to run tasks without a desktop session. It can pull data from email threads, Slack channels, meeting transcripts, and online chatter to complete a task. Mobile and web versions share a unified interface with the desktop version for continuity.

Can I run Claude Cowork tasks overnight from my phone?

Yes, Cowork tasks can run in the background overnight and be ready for review in the morning. This builds on the capability to operate without an active desktop session.

Which plans include Claude Cowork mobile access (Max, Pro)?

The rollout is a beta to Max plan subscribers initially at a $100/month starting price. Subsequent expansion to other plans, including Pro at $20/month, is expected, with unclear access for free-tier users.

Is there a free tier for Claude Cowork or is it premium-only?

Sources indicate a beta for Max plan and mention of later expansion to Pro. No explicit confirmation of free-tier access is available in the provided materials.