app · Anthropic (Claude team)
Claude Desktop
Claude Desktop is Anthropic's native desktop application for macOS and Windows (no Linux version as of May 2026) that bundles the Claude chat interface, Claude Code, and the Cowork feature into one place. The key advantage over the web interface is desktop extensions: Claude can directly read and write local files, control your browser via the Claude in Chrome connector, connect to Google Drive, Slack, and Outlook, and monitor code changes as you save them. It is available on all plan types — including the free plan — though Claude Code and higher-model access require paid tiers. For biology students, the most useful daily workflow is dragging a PDF or data file into the chat window and asking Claude to summarize, annotate, or extract tables from it — no upload step, no copying URLs. Memory and project preferences sync across your phone and browser.
What it can help with
- drag-and-drop files
- local file access
- browser automation
- cloud drive sync
- code change monitor
- pdf summarizer
- cross-device memory
- email integration