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Claude just launched “Cowork” (agent mode for your files)

Claude just launched “Cowork” (agent mode for your files)

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January 20, 2026

Adam here! Starting the year with updates with Claude!

Anthropic just released Claude Cowork (research preview): a new mode in the Claude macOS app where you give Claude access to one folder you choose, and it can read, edit, and create files inside that folder that is more like leaving tasks for a coworker than having a chat.

What’s New?

In Cowork, Claude can take a task, make a plan, and work through it while keeping you posted — things like reorganising your downloads, turning screenshots into an expense sheet, or drafting a report from scattered notes.

It’s currently available as a research preview for Claude Max subscribers on macOS, with Windows mentioned as a future direction.

QUICK WAYS TO USE IT

Clean up your Downloads

“Organise this folder into subfolders by file type. Rename files clearly based on what they are. Don’t delete anything — if unsure, put it in an ‘Unsure’ folder.”

Turn receipts/screenshots into an expense spreadsheet

“Create a spreadsheet called Expenses.xlsx. Extract merchant, date, category, and amount from these images. Flag anything unclear in a Notes column.”

Draft a report from messy notes

“Use these notes to draft a 1-page summary: key points, decisions, and next steps. Add a ‘Questions’ section at the end.”

Create a client-ready doc pack

“Make a folder called ‘Client Pack’. Create: (1) brief, (2) timeline, (3) checklist. Use simple headings and keep it one page each.”

Rewrite + standardise a folder of docs

“Make all docs consistent: same headings, same tone, shorter sentences. Keep meaning the same. Save as new files with ‘_v2’ suffix.”

No Claude Max? You can still copy the workflow

Cowork is available for for Claude Max subscribers, but you can still use the same approach in regular Claude:

Create a folder called “AI Workspace” and only put the files you want help with in there.
Ask Claude for a plan + file naming convention first.
Paste the text content (or summaries) and have Claude generate the outputs (report, spreadsheet layout, doc templates).
If you want access later, Anthropic says non-Max users can join a waitlist for future access.

⚠️ Important: Stay in control (3 rules)

Cowork is powerful because it can act on files so be strict:

Give access to one folder only (not your whole machine).
Always say: “Don’t delete anything.”
Be cautious with web content Anthropic (and others) warn about prompt injection risks in agentic tools.

This is one of the clearest signs AI is shifting from chatting to actually doing!!!

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I’ve been working around these tools recently, you should check them out!