Claude Desktop App: Features, Setup, and Tips

Claude's browser interface at claude.ai serves 18.9 million monthly active users (DemandSage, 2026). Most of them are missing the features that matter most. Cowork, Code, computer use, and desktop extensions only run in the native desktop application, and those capabilities are what turn Claude from a question-answering tool into a working agent on your machine.

The desktop app organizes everything into three tabs, each designed for a different kind of work.

Chat

Chat works like the claude.ai web experience. You get conversation, projects, memory, and artifacts, but no local file access. If you just need to ask questions, brainstorm, or generate text, Chat does the job.

Cowork

Cowork runs autonomous, multi-step tasks inside a sandboxed virtual machine on your computer. It can organize folders, build spreadsheets from invoices, draft documents from scattered notes, pull metrics into formatted reports, and manage email workflows. You describe what you need, and Cowork handles the execution without step-by-step guidance. Claude Cowork launched as a research preview in January 2026, arrived on Windows in February, and reached general availability across all paid plans on April 9, 2026.

Code

Code gives developers an interactive coding assistant with direct access to local project files. It includes visual diff review, an integrated terminal, live app preview, GitHub PR monitoring with auto-merge, and support for parallel sessions in separate Git worktrees. Claude Code started as a command-line tool, but the desktop version adds a graphical interface with a drag-and-drop layout and a sidebar for managing multiple workstreams.

The web interface cannot touch your filesystem, install extensions that connect to your calendar or email, or interact with other applications on your screen. The desktop app can do all of these things. That gap between chatting with Claude and working with Claude is the reason this app exists.

The Claude desktop app runs on macOS, Windows, and ChromeOS. Requirements differ by platform, and some features have additional hardware or edition constraints.

macOS

You need macOS 11 (Big Sur) or higher. Apple Silicon (M1 or later) is required for Cowork because its sandboxed VM relies on Apple's Virtualization framework. Intel Macs can run Chat but not Cowork or Code.

Windows

You need Windows 10 or higher with an x64 processor. ARM64 support was added on March 24, 2026, though some devices may still be unstable. Cowork requires Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition because its execution sandbox uses Hyper-V. If you are on Windows Home, you can use Chat and Code but not Cowork.

ChromeOS

Available through the Google Play Store. Feature availability may be limited compared to macOS and Windows.

Installation steps

1. Go to claude.com/download
2. Select your platform (macOS or Windows)
3. Open the downloaded installer
4. Launch Claude from Applications (Mac) or the Start menu (Windows)
5. Sign in with your existing claude.ai account using Google or email

The download is free. Free accounts get access to Chat only. Cowork, Code, and computer use require a paid plan: Pro ($20/month), Max ($100 or $200/month), Team, or Enterprise.

One detail that trips people up: the desktop app includes Claude Code built in. You do not need to install Node.js or the CLI separately to use Code in the app. If you also want the claude command available in your terminal, install the CLI alongside the desktop app. Both share configuration files, including CLAUDE.md settings, MCP servers, hooks, and skills.

Conversations, projects, memory, and preferences sync across all your devices when you sign in. Switching between desktop, mobile, and web keeps everything in one place.

Cowork takes the agentic architecture behind Claude Code and wraps it in a visual interface that does not require terminal experience. You describe what you need, and Cowork plans the approach, shows you the plan, and executes it.

Each Cowork session runs inside an isolated virtual machine on your computer. This sandbox gives Claude controlled access to your local files and network while keeping it separated from the rest of your system. You configure which folders and connectors Claude can reach through the app's access controls.

What Cowork handles well

• Reading, editing, creating, and organizing files directly on your computer
• Pulling data from multiple sources and compiling formatted reports
• Building spreadsheets with formulas from raw receipts or invoices
• Drafting documents from scattered notes across different files and applications
• Managing email workflows when connected to Gmail
• Running multi-step tasks autonomously without step-by-step prompting

Cowork follows a three-tier approach when executing tasks. It tries connectors first (direct integrations with services like Slack, Gmail, and Google Drive) because they are fast and most reliable. When no connector exists for the target application, it falls back to browser navigation through the Claude in Chrome extension. If neither option works, it uses direct screen interaction as a last resort.

Scheduling recurring tasks

The scheduling feature lets you set up tasks that run on a cadence you define. A weekly report that pulls metrics from connected tools and formats them into a document, a daily inbox triage that flags priority emails, or a recurring file cleanup that organizes your downloads folder. Your computer needs to stay powered on and awake for scheduled tasks to execute on time.

Practical example

Say you have a folder of 30 client invoices in different formats: some PDFs, some Excel files, a few scanned images. Tell Cowork to "extract vendor name, invoice number, date, and total from every file in the invoices folder, then create a summary spreadsheet sorted by date." Cowork will read each file, identify the relevant fields, and produce a formatted spreadsheet. The entire task runs in the background while you do other work.

Who gets access

Cowork is available on all paid plans: Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise. Enterprise administrators get additional controls including role-based access via groups and SCIM provisioning, per-team spend limits, and usage analytics through the admin dashboard.

Desktop extensions are packaged MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers that install with one click. Think of them like browser extensions, but for Claude's desktop environment. They connect Claude to local applications, files, calendars, email clients, and developer tools without manual configuration.

Extensions use the .mcpb (MCP Bundle) file format, though older .dxt files still work. Each extension is code-signed, stores sensitive data like API keys in encrypted storage, and supports enterprise policy controls for IT administrators who need to manage what their teams can install.

Installing extensions

Open Claude Desktop, click the "+" button at the bottom-left of the chat input, and select "Extensions" to browse the marketplace. Find the extension you want and click Install. No JSON editing, no dependency management, no PATH troubleshooting.

Manual MCP server configuration

You can also connect MCP servers manually by editing a JSON configuration file. This is useful for custom or private servers that are not listed in the marketplace. Claude Desktop reads its MCP configuration and connects to any server you define there. As of April 2026, Anthropic recommends Streamable HTTP as the standard transport protocol, with the older SSE transport being phased out.

The MCP ecosystem has grown quickly. Over 2,300 public MCP servers were available as of May 2026 (BuildFastWithAI, 2026), covering databases, cloud storage, developer tools, productivity apps, and specialized industry workflows.

Connecting Claude to external file storage

One high-value use case for MCP is connecting Claude to persistent file workspaces. Cowork can access local files through its VM, but external workspaces add persistence, sharing, and searchability that local storage does not provide.

Your options include S3 buckets for raw object storage, Google Drive for familiar document management, or workspaces built specifically for agent workflows. Fast.io exposes a Streamable HTTP MCP endpoint at mcp.fast.io with tools for storage, AI-powered search, shares, and workflow operations. Files uploaded to a Fast.io workspace are auto-indexed for semantic search and RAG, so Claude can search and query them by meaning rather than filename. The free agent plan includes 50GB storage and 5,000 monthly credits with no credit card required.

Connecting Claude Desktop to an external workspace means your agent can act on your machine and persist results where teammates or other agents can access them later.

Give Claude Desktop a persistent workspace

Fast.io connects to Claude via MCP. 50GB free storage, no credit card, and your files stay indexed for search and RAG across every session.

Sign Up Free

Computer use lets Claude see your screen and interact with applications directly: clicking buttons, typing text, opening apps, and navigating menus. It is a research preview feature available on Pro and Max plans for macOS and Windows. Team and Enterprise plans do not have access yet.

Enabling computer use

1. Update Claude Desktop to the latest version from claude.com/download
2. Go to Settings, then General, then Desktop app
3. Toggle "Computer use" on
4. Open Cowork or Code and ask Claude to perform a task that requires screen interaction
5. Grant per-app permission when prompted

Claude requires authorization before accessing each application. You configure which apps are allowed and which are blocked. Investment platforms and cryptocurrency tools are blocked by default as a safety measure, and you can add your own entries to the blocklist.

How Claude decides which method to use

Claude follows the same three-tier priority as Cowork. Connectors are fastest, so Claude tries those first. Browser navigation via Claude in Chrome comes second. Direct screen interaction, which involves taking screenshots and interpreting the display, is the slowest option and serves as the fallback when nothing else works.

Claude in Chrome

The Claude in Chrome extension connects your browser to the desktop app. Install it from the Chrome Web Store, and Claude can open new tabs, navigate websites, fill forms, read page content, and interact with web applications. You watch the actions happen in real time in a visible Chrome window.

Chrome automation shares your browser's login state, so Claude can access any site you are already signed into. It works exclusively with Google Chrome, not other Chromium-based browsers or mobile devices. Model availability depends on your plan: Pro users get Haiku 4.5, while Max, Team, and Enterprise users can choose from Opus 4.7, Sonnet 4.6, or Haiku 4.5.

Safety boundaries

There is no sandbox between Claude and your applications during computer use. An action in one app can affect another. Claude is specifically trained to avoid fund transfers, sensitive data entry, trading activity, and scraping facial images from screens. Anthropic's documentation explicitly recommends against using computer use for healthcare, financial, or legal workflows during the research preview.

Computer use works best for tasks involving specialized or internal tools that lack direct integrations: navigating a company intranet, filling out an internal form, or pulling data from an application that has no API or connector available.

A few patterns stand out as worth adopting early once you start using the Claude desktop app regularly.

Run parallel sessions for independent tasks

The Code tab supports multiple simultaneous sessions, each in its own Git worktree. If you are fixing a bug and want to explore a refactor at the same time, open a second session from the sidebar. Each session tracks its own context and file changes independently, so they do not interfere with each other.

Use @ mentions for precise context

Type @filename in the prompt box to pull a specific file into the conversation. You can also drag and drop files or use the attachment button for images and PDFs. Giving Claude the right context upfront produces much better results, especially in Code sessions working on unfamiliar parts of a codebase.

Match permission modes to your task

The Code tab starts in Ask permissions mode, where Claude proposes changes and waits for your approval before applying them. For faster iteration on low-risk edits, switch to Auto accept edits. For planning a large refactor before any files are touched, use Plan mode. Adjusting the permission level to match the stakes of what you are doing saves time without sacrificing control.

Let Claude review its own diffs

After Claude edits files, a diff indicator (like +12 -1) appears in the interface. Click it to review changes file by file. You can comment on specific lines, and Claude reads those comments and revises accordingly. Click "Review code" to have Claude evaluate its own changes and leave inline suggestions before you accept them.

Preview your running app inside the desktop

The Code tab can run your dev server and render a live preview panel directly in the app. Claude sees the running application, tests endpoints, reads logs, and iterates based on what it observes. This tight feedback loop is faster than switching between an editor and a separate browser tab.

Connect to persistent storage for multi-session projects

Local files work well for one-off tasks, but projects that span multiple sessions or involve collaboration benefit from external storage. An MCP-connected workspace like Fast.io keeps your files indexed, searchable, and accessible to both Claude and human teammates. When an agent builds something in one session, the output persists in a shared workspace rather than living only on your local disk. The free tier includes 50GB with no credit card.

Monitor pull requests automatically

After opening a PR from a Code session, Claude monitors CI check results in the background. It can automatically fix test failures or merge the PR once all checks pass. This is one of the features that makes the desktop app more than just a code editor.