Claude Desktop App Explained: Chat, Cowork and Code

The Claude desktop app is basically three AI assistants in one window: Chat, Cowork and Code. Most people only use Chat, because it’s the first thing they see. The other two are where the app really earns its place on your computer.

This guide covers what each one does, how to choose between them, the settings that decide how much Claude can do on its own, and the sidebar features most people never open.

Anthropic rearranges the layout now and then, so a button may move. The ideas stay the same.

How the app is laid out

At the top of the sidebar there are two views: Home and Code.

• Home is where Chat and Cowork live. They share the same message box. Type normally and you’re in a regular chat conversation. Switch to Cowork, and the same box hands Claude a whole task instead of a message.
• Code has a view of its own.

Chat: the part you already know

Chat is the Claude everyone knows. You ask questions, have a conversation and go back and forth until you get what you need. Use it for thinking things through, drafting and quick answers.

Cowork: Claude as an autonomous worker

With Cowork, you don’t send Claude a message. You describe an outcome, for example:

• “Organise my profile pictures folder”
• “Research this and build me a spreadsheet”

Claude then plans the work, splits it into smaller tasks and carries them out.

It keeps working when you close your laptop

Cowork runs its work in an isolated environment on Anthropic’s servers, not on your computer. That means a task keeps going after you close your laptop. You can start it on your desktop, check on it from your phone and download the finished file from the website.

The exception: if a task needs your local files or your web browser, keep your computer on and the desktop app open until it’s done.

Cowork’s three approval modes

Mode	What it does
Manual	Claude asks you before it takes actions
Auto	Claude keeps working, with a safety check on each step
Skip	No checks at all. Only use it for tasks you completely trust

If you’re new to it, start with Manual and move on once you trust what it does.

Code: build websites, apps and tools

Code is where you make things: websites, apps, dashboards and programs. It’s called Code, but you don’t have to be technical to use it. You describe what you want in plain English and Claude writes the code.

Unlike Cowork, Code works directly on the files on your computer:

1. Pick a folder.
2. Type what you want.
3. Watch it build.

You can also run several sessions side by side from the sidebar, each working on something different.

New to Code? My guide on how to install Claude Code on Windows walks through the setup, including the Git step that catches people out.

Code’s five permission modes

Code has its own modes, which control how much Claude can do without asking.

Mode	What it does
Manual	Always asks before making changes
Accept edits	Automatically accepts every file edit
Plan	Writes a plan first, before making any changes
Auto	Claude makes the permission decisions itself
Bypass permissions	Accepts everything. Claude does its own thing without checking in

Bypass permissions lets Claude loose. Only use it when you’re completely confident about the outcome you want and happy with the access you’ve given it.

Sidebar features worth knowing

• Projects. Group related tasks into a workspace with its own files and instructions.
• Artifacts. Interactive workspaces that open in a panel next to your conversation. They’re handy for seeing a live preview of an app or website while you work on it.
• Scheduled. Run a task on a schedule or whenever you need it. To set one up, type /schedule in any existing task.
• Dispatch. Send tasks to Claude from your phone. I’ll cover this in a separate video.
• Customize. Opens the settings, where you can add or edit skills, connectors, plugins and memory. More on these in a future video.
• Recent chats. Your latest conversations. You can pin the ones you’re working on so they stay at the top.
• Claude Design. At the bottom of the sidebar, for designing things. There’s a video on that coming too.

Chat, Cowork or Code: which should you use?

You want to…	Use
Ask a question, brainstorm or draft something	Chat
Hand off a whole task and get a finished result back	Cowork
Build a website, app, dashboard or tool	Code

What does it cost?

The desktop app is free to download, but Cowork and Code both need a paid plan. I use the Pro plan, which is around $20 a month.

A heads up: Cowork uses up your usage limits a lot faster than Chat, because it’s doing far more work for each request. Keep that in mind before you hand it a big job.

FAQ

What’s the difference between Claude Cowork and Claude Code?

Cowork carries out tasks for you on Anthropic’s servers and gives you back a finished result, such as a spreadsheet or an organised folder. Code works on the files on your own computer and is built for making things like websites and apps.

Is the Claude desktop app free?

The app is free to download and Chat works on the free plan. Cowork and Code need a paid plan, starting with Pro.

Do I need to be technical to use Claude Code?

No. You describe what you want in plain English. Choose Manual or Plan mode while you’re learning, so Claude checks with you before it changes anything.

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If you found it useful, subscribe on YouTube for the videos on Dispatch, skills and connectors, and Claude Design.