Anthropic announced on Tuesday that it is moving its Claude Cowork agent to the cloud, debuting versions for smartphones and the web on August 5, 2026. The update makes the agent accessible from multiple devices and enables it to perform tasks when devices are not online.

Previously, Claude Cowork was only available on specific devices that needed to remain open and active for work to be completed. Users could not operate the agent across multiple devices with a single account. An older Dispatch feature allowed smartphone apps to pair with desktops, but required the computer to be awake and the app open for Claude to function.

The updated cloud integration unifies Claude chat and Cowork, granting them access to the same files. Launched in January 2026, Claude Cowork automates multistep workflows for personal organization and scheduling by utilizing users' files, folders, and applications. Anthropic stated that customers are using Claude Cowork for "the work around work."

Anthropic will provide beta access to the updated Claude Cowork for users with Max subscriptions, which start at $100 per month. The company plans to extend access to additional plans, including its Pro tier ($20 per month), in the coming weeks. Anthropic is also extending Cowork's doubled usage limits through August 5.

The agent is designed to seek final review and approval from a user before completing scheduled tasks. Anthropic's permissions structure frequently requests consent for specific actions during Cowork's operation. In its launch video for the cloud update, Anthropic showed a user asking Cowork to pull together data from email threads, Slack channels, meeting transcripts, and recent online chatter.