Claude Cowork just launched Dispatch as a research preview. The idea is you give Claude a task from your phone, it works on your desktop while you are away, and you come back to the finished result. Everything runs locally on your machine and your files never leave your computer. It’s basically Claude’s response to OpenClaw.
Here’s how to set it up and what to use it for.
What You'll Need
Claude Max or Pro subscription (Max first, Pro rolling out shortly)
Claude Desktop app installed on your Mac or Windows PC (download at claude.com/download)
Claude mobile app installed on your iPhone or Android device
Your computer must be awake and Claude Desktop must be open for tasks to run
Step 1: Update Claude Desktop
Make sure you have the latest version of Claude Desktop installed. Dispatch is a new feature and requires the most recent build.
On Mac, go to the Claude menu in the top bar and click "Check for Updates." On Windows, right-click the Claude icon in the system tray and select "Check for Updates."
Download the latest version at claude.com/download if you do not have it installed yet.
If you do not have the option yet it may not have rolled out to your account yet.
Step 2: Open Cowork and Find Dispatch
Open Claude Desktop on your computer. Click into Cowork mode from the left sidebar.
You will see a new Dispatch option in the left panel. Click it, then click Get Started.
Step 3: Pair Your Phone
Open the Claude mobile app on your phone. Tap the menu icon and look for Dispatch in the sidebar.
Once paired, a Dispatch entry appears in your mobile app's sidebar. Tapping it connects you directly to your desktop's Cowork session. From here, anything you can do in Cowork on desktop, you can now assign from your phone.
Note: Your computer needs to be on and Claude Desktop needs to be open for tasks to run. Dispatch works best if you leave your computer running when you head out.
Step 4: Assign Your First Task
With Dispatch open on your phone, type your task the same way you would in a regular Cowork conversation. Claude has access to everything on your desktop: files, folders, browser, connected tools, and any integrations you have set up.
Good starter tasks to try:
Summarise the key points from the documents in my Reports folder and save a briefing as a new file on my desktopSearch my emails from the last 7 days for anything about [project name] and draft a status updatePull the data from the spreadsheet on my desktop called [filename] and create a summary with the key numbersGo through my Downloads folder, identify any duplicate files, and list them for me to reviewFind the three most recent PDFs in my Documents folder and give me a one-paragraph summary of eachAfter you send the task, Claude gets to work on your desktop. You will receive updates as it makes progress. When it is done, the result is waiting for you.
Step 5: Check the Results
When you get back to your desktop, open Cowork and the Dispatch conversation. Everything Claude did is visible in the conversation history, including what steps it took, what files it accessed, and what the output was.
If the result needs adjusting, continue the conversation from either your phone or desktop. Dispatch keeps the context across both.
Practical Workflows for Business
Morning Briefing Before You Arrive
Assign the task the night before or on your commute. Claude searches your email, Slack, and calendar and has a briefing ready when you sit down.
Try this:
Review my emails and Slack messages from the last 24 hours. Summarise anything that needs my attention today, sorted by urgency. Save it as Morning Briefing [date].md on my desktop.Report Generation From Local Data
If you have spreadsheets or data files on your desktop, Claude can pull the numbers, analyse them, and write the report while you are in meetings or away from your desk.
Try this:
Open the sales data spreadsheet in my Documents folder. Pull out the key numbers for this month versus last month and write a short summary report I can send to my team. Save it as a Word doc.
For seasonal campaigns, describe the season and emotion:File Organisation
Messy downloads folder, disorganised project files, or a folder full of PDFs that need sorting. Claude handles the groundwork while you get on with other things.
Try this:
Look at my Downloads folder. Identify any files related to [project name] and move them into a new folder called [project name] on my desktop. List what you moved so I can check.Research and Drafting
Give Claude a topic and a destination. It researches, drafts, and saves the output ready for you to review.
Try this:
Research [topic] and write a 300-word briefing document covering the key points and why they matter for our business. Save it to my desktop as [topic]-briefing.md.
Generate several variations, then loop or trim in your audio editor to the exact length you need.What Dispatch Cannot Do Yet
Your computer must stay on: If your machine sleeps or Claude Desktop closes, the task pauses. For long tasks, make sure your computer is set to stay awake.
Research preview limitations: Dispatch is new and still being refined. Some tasks may not complete as expected. If something goes wrong, the conversation will show you where it stopped.
No cross-device file access: Claude works with files on the desktop it is paired to. It cannot access files on other computers or devices.
Common Questions
Does Claude have access to everything on my computer? Claude works within Cowork's sandbox. It can access files and use tools you have connected, but it runs in a controlled environment and you can review what it has done in the conversation history.
Can I use Dispatch on Android as well as iPhone? Yes. Dispatch works on both iOS and Android via the Claude mobile app.
What happens if my computer goes to sleep mid-task? The task will pause. When your computer wakes up and Claude Desktop is running again, you can check the conversation to see where it stopped and continue from there.
Is this available on the free plan? Not currently. Dispatch requires a Max or Pro subscription. Max subscribers have access now, Pro is rolling out shortly.
Can I have multiple desktops paired? Currently Dispatch pairs with one desktop per mobile session. Managing multiple machines is not supported in the research preview.
Next Steps
Start with something low-stakes: a file summary, a folder tidy, or pulling numbers from a spreadsheet. Get comfortable with how Dispatch communicates progress and where it saves outputs. Then work up to the tasks that actually eat your time, like building weekly reports or drafting briefing documents from your inbox.
Start with these tasks:
Morning briefing from your emails and Slack before you arrive at the office
A summary of a report or document sitting in your Downloads folder
Pulling key numbers from a spreadsheet and writing a short summary
Organising files from a recent project into a clean folder structure