Anthropic has updated the Claude desktop application, enabling Computer Use to run in the background within Claude Cowork and Claude Code: it can click, type, and open applications to complete tasks while users can do other things simultaneously. The company states that it no longer takes over the pointer and keyboard, typically waiting during input.

The background window is the default mode for macOS 15 and above. The first time a task requires full screen, each session will need permission once; if users want it to take over the screen directly, they can change the application access to full control in the desktop application settings. Computer Use is currently in open testing for Pro and Max plans on macOS and Windows desktop, but must be manually enabled in settings, with an official prompt to read the safety instructions first.

The execution order starts with connectors like Gmail, Google Drive, Microsoft 365, and Slack, followed by built-in or Chrome browsers, with screen-level operations only falling to internal backends or specialized tools without interfaces. The desktop must remain awake and Claude Desktop open for the computer to access local files and applications; pure cloud sessions can continue after closing the lid, but applications cannot be closed when accessing local resources.

Dispatch allows tasks to be sent from a mobile phone to a desktop computer, using the same set of agents to access local files, plugins, and applications. Complex multi-step processes may need to be tried a second time, as screen operations are slower than direct integration. Linux desktop testing does not include Computer Use. The functionality carries risks such as prompt injection, and the system will scan activations for anomalies.

Earlier, OpenAI launched background computer control on Mac. Anthropic has shifted the difference from "can it click the mouse" to "will it compete with you for the same mouse and keyboard." Computer Use is not a brand new capability; it appeared with the model research preview in 2024 and is now integrated into the knowledge work-focused Cowork and programming-focused Claude Code.

In market mechanics, users are buying time slices for agents to take over their desktops, while the old interaction that requires watching the screen as the model clicks around is being sold. Funds remain in Pro/Max subscriptions rather than selling remote desktop access per use. Beneficiaries are Anthropic's desktop stickiness and agent duration; those under pressure are OpenAI, which first created the background mode, and assistants that only provide chat boxes without local application control. The connectors prioritize explaining that what they really want to collect is workflow permissions, with screen clicks being just a patch.

Note: The latest Claude Desktop is required, with the path being Settings—General—Enable Computer Use. Applications without connectors rely on visible interfaces, and any change in the interface may lead the agent to go wrong.

Source: Public Information