Claude Dispatch is one continuous conversation that follows you between your phone and your desktop: you assign a task from your phone, and Claude works on your desktop computer using your local files, connectors, plugins, and apps. Hand off a briefing while you are out, and come back to the finished work. This guide covers what Dispatch is, how it differs from cloud sessions, how to set it up, and what to use it for — based on Anthropic's official documentation.
🟢 Model references match the current lineup · model notice · Fable subscription
Fable 5 and 5.1 subscription (updated September 7, 2026): Claude Fable 5.1, released September 1, 2026, is the current Fable model and Fable 5 is now legacy. Plan terms are the same for both — Max and Team Premium plans include Fable at up to 50% of the weekly usage limit; Pro and Team Standard use usage credits (
What is Dispatch
Dispatch is a capability inside Claude Cowork, first released as a research preview in March 2026. It is less like chatting with a bot and more like leaving a brief with a colleague: you send instructions, Claude carries them out, and the results land back in the same conversation.
Per the official docs, three things define it:
- One continuous thread — there is no way to start new threads or manage several at once; every message lives in a single conversation, which is why context carries across tasks.
- Task breakdown and routing — the Dispatch agent splits your instruction into smaller tasks, runs each as a separate Cowork or Claude Code session, and surfaces results in the sidebar as they finish.
- You stay in control — when a task needs permission (running a command, writing outside its workspace), the prompt is forwarded to you. Per the docs, if you don't respond within ten minutes the request is automatically denied and the task continues without that action.
Where it runs — Dispatch vs cloud sessions
This is the easiest point to confuse. Dispatch tasks run on your desktop computer, so your machine must be awake with the Claude Desktop app open. By contrast, the cloud sessions (remote sessions, beta) added to Cowork in July 2026 run on Anthropic's servers and keep working even when your computer is off. Which one to use comes down to what the task needs to touch.
| Dispatch | Cloud session (beta) | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Your desktop computer | Anthropic's servers |
| Computer off? | Work pauses (must stay awake) | Work continues |
| Can reach | Local files · connectors · plugins · desktop apps | Files saved to your account · connectors |
| Best for | Work on files and apps on your machine | Device-independent work · scheduled tasks |
In short: if the job needs your local files or installed apps, use Dispatch; if it should keep running with your laptop closed, use a cloud session. For the July expansion itself, see the update section of our Claude Cowork guide.
Setup — five steps
- Get the apps — install the latest Claude Desktop (macOS, Windows x64, or Linux) and the Claude mobile app.
- Open Dispatch — open Cowork on your phone or desktop and click "Dispatch" in the left panel.
- Start — click "Get started" on the intro screen.
- Set permissions — toggle on file access and keep-awake. Tasks pause if your computer sleeps, so keep-awake is practically required when you step away.
- Start messaging — message Claude in the Dispatch section; the conversation then syncs automatically across both devices.
What to hand off
Examples from the official docs:
- Pull data from a local spreadsheet and compile a summary report
- Search your Slack messages and email, then draft a briefing document
- Build a formatted presentation from files in your Google Drive
- Organize or batch-process files in a specific folder on your computer
Enable computer use and the range widens further: Claude can see your screen and click and type directly — updating an Excel sheet, navigating an internal dashboard, or running dev tools (research preview). Per Anthropic, Claude reaches for the most precise tool first — connectors like Slack or Google Calendar — and only falls back to controlling the screen when no connector fits. Note that computer use is not part of the Linux beta; on Linux, Dispatch works with files, connectors, and plugins only.
Requirements and caveats
- Plans — available in beta on Pro and Max plans; requires both the Claude Desktop app and the mobile app.
- Single thread — one conversation only; no parallel thread management.
- Safety — an instruction from your phone becomes real actions on your computer (reading and moving files, and more). The official docs flag this chain explicitly, so limit file access to the folders a task needs and review the conversation history of what Claude did.
- Subject to change — this is a beta feature; plan availability and behavior may change per official announcements.
If Dispatch is the remote control, see our Cowork guide for what Cowork itself is, the Claude vs Claude Code vs Cowork comparison for choosing between surfaces, and the work automation guide for the bigger picture.
Disclaimer: This article is based on Anthropic's official support docs (Assign tasks from anywhere in Claude Cowork · Let Claude use your computer in Cowork · Use Claude Cowork on web, desktop, and mobile) and the official March 2026 Dispatch and computer use announcement. Dispatch is a beta feature and its requirements and behavior may change; verify the latest conditions in the official docs before relying on it. This site is not affiliated with Anthropic.
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