Introduction
Anthropic has expanded Claude Cowork, its research preview feature that brings Claude Code's autonomous agentic capabilities to general productivity workflows. Initially launched for macOS, Cowork is now fully available on both macOS and Windows, offering feature parity across both platforms.
Cowork gives Claude direct access to folders on your computer, enabling it to read, edit, and create files autonomously. This feature emerged from users' desire to apply Claude Code's developer-focused efficiency to everyday tasks like file organization, report drafting, and data processing. With the latest updates in February 2026, Cowork has become more accessible and powerful, introducing global instructions and broader plan availability.
What is Claude Cowork?
Core Functionality
Claude Cowork is built on the same SDK foundations as Claude Code but designed for broader productivity tasks. It transforms Claude from a chatbot into an active collaborator:
- Folder access: You grant Claude access to a specific folder on your machine.
- Autonomous agency: Claude analyzes your task, creates a plan, and executes it without needing constant prompts.
- Parallel Tasking: You can queue up multiple tasks and let Claude work through them while you focus on other work.
- Unified Controls: Claude asks before taking destructive or significant actions, keeping you in the driver's seat.
Key Capabilities
Cowork is designed to handle the "grunt work" of digital life:
- Intelligent Organization: Sort, rename, and clean up messy downloads or project folders.
- Dynamic Document Creation: Generate spreadsheets from screenshots or compile reports from scattered notes.
- Content Transformation: Extract data from multiple files and convert it into structured formats.
- Browser Integration: When paired with Claude in Chrome, Cowork can handle tasks that bridge local files and web-based data.
New in 2026: Global and Folder Instructions
A major update to the research preview is the introduction of Global and Folder Instructions. These act as persistent system prompts that define how Claude should interact with your specific projects:
- Global Instructions: Set a preferred tone, formatting style, or personal context (e.g., "Always use metric units" or "I am a marketing manager") that applies across all sessions.
- Folder Instructions: Define rules specific to certain directories. For example, in a "Financials" folder, you can instruct Claude to "never delete CSV files" or "always group reports by fiscal quarter."
These instructions can be updated in real-time during a chat, allowing for highly customized and specialized agent behavior.
How Cowork Works
User Control and Safety
Safety remains central to Cowork's design, especially given its ability to modify local files:
- Explicit Permission: Claude cannot see or edit any files outside of the folders you explicitly share.
- Steerable Actions: For major steps, Claude will pause to show you its plan and ask for confirmation.
- Agent Safety Development: Anthropic continues to research defenses against prompt injections—where internet content might try to manipulate the agent's behavior.
Connectors and Skills
Cowork leverages Claude's ecosystem to enhance its utility:
- Connectors: Link Claude to external platforms like Google Drive or GitHub.
- Skills: Specialized tools that improve Claude’s ability to generate specific file types like presentations or complex documents.
- MCP (Model Context Protocol): Full support for all MCP connectors, allowing Claude to interact with a vast array of third-party tools and data sources.
Availability and Access
As of February 2026, Cowork's availability has expanded significantly:
- Paid Plans: Cowork is available to Pro, Team, and Enterprise subscribers.
- Windows Support: The Windows app now matches the macOS app in functionality.
- Get Started: Download the latest version of the desktop app from claude.ai/download. After installing, click on "Cowork" in the sidebar to begin.
Conclusion
Claude Cowork represents a fundamental shift in how we interact with AI. By moving from a back-and-forth conversation to an agentic "worker" model, Anthropic is making Claude a practical tool for virtually any file-based workflow. With the addition of Windows support and persistent instructions, the gap between "chatting with AI" and "working with AI" continues to close.
Key Takeaways:
- Cross-Platform: Now available with full parity on macOS and Windows.
- Enhanced Customization: Global and folder-level instructions provide persistent personality and rules.
- Broader Access: Pro, Team, and Enterprise users can now join the research preview.
- Safe Agency: Combines autonomous planning with user-controlled folder access.
Learn more about Claude models in our models catalog, explore AI agents in our glossary, or discover AI coding tools in our AI tools directory.