TL;DR
Claude's Cowork is a research-preview feature that gives the assistant access to a folder on your Mac so it can read, create, and edit files and carry out multi-step tasks. It is available now to Claude Max subscribers on the macOS app; wider availability and improvements are planned.
What happened
Claude's team has introduced Cowork, a research-preview mode that lets the assistant operate on a user-selected folder on a local Mac. Once granted access, Claude can open, modify, and produce files in that folder and take multi-step actions with greater autonomy than a normal chat. The feature is built on the same foundations as Claude Code, but oriented toward non-developer workflows: examples cited include reorganizing a downloads folder, extracting expenses from screenshots into a spreadsheet, and assembling a draft report from scattered notes. Cowork can use existing connectors and an initial set of document-creation skills, and it can act on tasks that require browser access when paired with Claude in Chrome. The company emphasizes user control — users pick which folders and connectors Claude can see, and the assistant will ask before major actions — while also warning about risks such as destructive operations and prompt-injection attacks.
Why it matters
- Shifts Claude from a conversational assistant to an agent that can take sustained, multi-step action on local files.
- Makes file-centric, non-coding tasks (document drafting, organizing, extracting data) more accessible to non-developers.
- Introduces new safety and permission patterns for local file access that users will need to manage.
- Signals a product direction toward deeper integrations (connectors, browser access) and cross-device workflows.
Key facts
- Cowork is released as a research preview on January 12, 2026.
- Available today to Claude Max subscribers through the macOS app; other users can join a waitlist.
- When enabled, Cowork can read, edit, and create files inside a folder you explicitly grant it access to.
- Claude in Cowork plans and executes tasks with ongoing updates, rather than only responding in single-turn chats.
- Cowork can leverage existing connectors and includes an initial set of skills for creating documents and presentations.
- Pairing Claude with Chrome enables Cowork to perform tasks that require browser access.
- The assistant will ask before taking significant actions, but it can perform potentially destructive operations if instructed.
- The team warns about prompt-injection risks and says agent safety remains an active area of development.
- Planned improvements include cross-device sync and a Windows release; the preview is intended to inform future changes.
What to watch next
- Rollout timeline for cross-device sync and a Windows version, which the team says are planned.
- How connector and skill sets expand as the preview progresses and user feedback arrives.
- not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Research preview: An early-stage release intended to gather user feedback and learn how people use a feature before a wider launch.
- Connector: A link that lets the assistant access external information sources or services, subject to user permission.
- Prompt injection: An attempt to manipulate an AI agent's behaviour by embedding instructions or malicious content in input it processes.
- Claude Max: A subscription tier referenced in the source that currently has access to the Cowork research preview.
Reader FAQ
Who can use Cowork right now?
Claude Max subscribers can access Cowork in the macOS app; others can join a waitlist for future access.
What files can Cowork access?
You choose which folders and connectors Claude may see; it cannot read or edit files outside those permissions.
Can Cowork delete or change my files without asking?
The assistant will request confirmation before major actions, but it can perform destructive operations if instructed, so clear guidance is recommended.
Is Cowork available on Windows or across devices?
The team says they plan to add cross-device sync and bring Cowork to Windows in future updates.
Cowork: Claude Code for the rest of your work Category Product announcements Agents Product Claude apps Date January 12, 2026 Reading time 5 min Share Copy link When we released…
Sources
- Cowork: Claude Code for the rest of your work
- I tested the top 5 Claude AI Mac apps in 2026 (here's my …
- Inside Claude Desktop: The Ultimate Guide to Architecture …
- Building a Mac app with Claude code
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