Anthropic has launched Dispatch, a new research preview for Claude Cowork that lets users send AI tasks from their phone and have Claude execute them on their Mac desktop in the background. The feature creates a persistent conversation thread that syncs between the Claude mobile app and the desktop application.

What Happened

Dispatch works through a single continuous conversation between a user's iPhone and their Mac computer. After updating the Claude Desktop app, users scan a QR code to pair their phone with the desktop session. From there, they can send instructions remotely, and Claude will execute tasks using local files, connected applications, and installed plugins on the computer.

The feature is currently available to Max subscribers as a research preview, with Pro access expected within days. Because all processing happens on the user's machine rather than being transmitted to external servers, Anthropic says the approach provides clearer data governance and privacy.

Why It Matters

For creative professionals, Dispatch represents a meaningful shift in AI-assisted workflows. Instead of sitting at a desk and prompting Claude in real time, creators can fire off tasks from their phone while on set, in a meeting, or on the go, and return to find completed work on their desktop. Think: preparing client presentations from reference files, organizing project folders, analyzing spreadsheets, or generating reports from existing documents.

Dispatch is essentially the Cowork equivalent of Claude Code's Remote Control feature, which lets developers delegate coding tasks while away from their workstation. Both features point toward a future where AI assistants run persistently in the background rather than requiring active, session-based interaction.

Key Details

  • Requirements: Mac with Claude Desktop app open and awake
  • Pairing: QR code scan from Claude mobile app
  • Availability: Max subscribers now, Pro subscribers within days
  • Capabilities: Access to local files, connected apps, and Cowork plugins
  • Early feedback: Summarizing and finding data works well; sharing from Claude is inconsistent

What to Do Next

Max subscribers can try Dispatch now by updating their Claude Desktop app and looking for the new Dispatch option in Cowork. Read the hands-on review at COEY for a practical breakdown of what works and what does not. As a research preview, expect rough edges, but the core concept of phone-to-desktop AI delegation is worth testing if you already use Claude for creative work.