Setup
How to Get Claude Cowork: Access, Download, and Setup
Getting Claude Cowork takes a paid Claude plan, the desktop app, and a Mac or Windows PC. Exactly how to get access and run your first task.
To get Claude Cowork you need three things: a paid Claude plan, the Claude desktop app, and a Mac or Windows computer. Subscribe to any paid plan, download the desktop app from claude.com/download, sign in, and Cowork is available inside the app. There is no separate purchase or waitlist.
Getting Cowork is not complicated. No invite codes, no waitlist, no “join the beta” form that goes nowhere and follows up six months later to ask if you are still interested. If you have a paid Claude plan and a Mac or Windows machine, you are already most of the way there.
What you need
Three things, and that is the whole list:
- A paid Claude plan. Cowork is included with every paid plan, so the subscription is your ticket. There is no separate Cowork fee. The tiers are in Claude Cowork pricing.
- The Claude desktop app. Cowork lives inside it. Download from the official download page.
- A Mac or Windows computer. Cowork runs on macOS and Windows only, not Linux, web, or mobile. The full breakdown is in Claude Cowork on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Tick those boxes and Cowork is there.
The steps
- Subscribe to a paid plan. If you are on the free tier, upgrade to any paid plan. Start at the low end; you can move up later if you start leaning on it hard.
- Download the desktop app. Go to claude.com/download and install it on your Mac or Windows PC. Skip the web version; Cowork is not there.
- Sign in. Log in with your Claude account, the same one tied to your paid plan.
- Open Cowork. It is built into the desktop app. Point it at a working folder and hand it something to do.
Your first task
Do not overthink it. Pick something small and real: “read the PDFs in this folder and write me a one-page summary as a Word document.” Watch it plan the steps, approve what it proposes, and collect the file. That one task will teach you more than any walkthrough could. Our how to use Claude Cowork guide goes through it step by step if you want the full version.
If you cannot find Cowork
It happens. Run through this before assuming something is broken:
- Are you on a paid plan? Cowork is not on the free tier.
- Are you in the desktop app, not the web or mobile version, and not on Linux?
- Is the app updated? Old versions miss new features. Update, relaunch, try again.
Nine times out of ten, it is one of those three.
Five minutes, then you are in
Paid plan, desktop app, sign in, point it at a folder. No gatekeeping, no waitlist. Once you are set up, the complete guide to Claude Cowork shows what it can actually take off your plate.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get access to Claude Cowork?
Subscribe to any paid Claude plan, download the Claude desktop app, and sign in. Cowork is included with paid plans, so there is no separate purchase, waitlist, or invite needed.
Is there a waitlist for Claude Cowork?
No. Cowork reached general availability in 2026, so any paid Claude user on a supported desktop can use it right away without waiting for an invite.
Where do I download Claude Cowork?
Cowork is part of the Claude desktop app, which you download from claude.com/download. There is no standalone Cowork installer; it lives inside the desktop app.
Why can't I find Cowork in my Claude app?
Check three things: you are on a paid plan, you are using the desktop app on Mac or Windows (not the web or mobile version), and the app is updated to the latest version.