Here’s how both Claude and you can use the same computer simultaneously

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Claude Cowork can be really helpful for handling busywork, leaving you free to pursue the leisure activity of your choice. However, if you’re looking to max out your multitasking capabilities with Cowork, Anthropic’s latest Claude update might be exactly what you need.

The company announced in an X post that Claude can now use your computer in the background. This means when you hand off a task to Claude Cowork or Claude Code, you can continue using your computer without the AI trying to take over your cursor or keyboard.

For the most part, Claude will try to do everything in the background, leaving you free to use your computer for literally anything else. On the off chance that Claude does need to go full screen to complete a task, it will ask for permission once per session. It will also wait for you to finish typing before it tries to take over the keyboard.

Claude will also try to find simpler ways to get work done before escalating to a screen takeover. According to Anthropic’s documentation, Claude will first see if it can use available connectors to get the job done. If that doesn’t work, it will try to use the in-app browser or Chrome. Only when it absolutely needs screen interaction and control of your cursor and keyboard will Claude take over (with your permission) to finish the task.

Background computer use is currently available in beta to users on Claude’s Pro and Max plans, and only on the Claude app for Mac. Users can enable the feature by heading to Settings > General > Computer use .

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