Schedule recurring tasks in Claude Code Desktop changeddesktop-scheduled-tasks
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### Dialog with Only on this computer at the top
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55Scheduled tasks start a new session automatically at a time and frequency you choose. Use them for recurring work like daily code reviews, dependency update checks, or morning briefings that pull from your calendar and inbox.
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7The Desktop app's **Routines** page lets you create both local scheduled tasks and remote [routines](/docs/en/routines). A local task runs on your machine with direct access to your files and tools, but only fires while the app is open and your computer is awake. A remote routine runs in the cloud even when your computer is off, and can also fire on API calls or GitHub events. This page covers local scheduled tasks; for remote routines and their trigger options, see [Routines](/docs/en/routines).
7The Desktop app's **Scheduled tasks** page lists both local scheduled tasks and [cloud scheduled tasks](/docs/en/routines), formerly routines:
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9* **Local task**: runs on your machine with direct access to your files and tools, but only fires while the app is open and your computer is awake
10* **Cloud task**: runs even when your computer is off, and can also start on API calls or GitHub events
11
12This page covers local scheduled tasks; for cloud scheduled tasks and their trigger options, see [Automate work with scheduled tasks](/docs/en/routines).
13
914## Compare scheduling options
1015
1116Claude Code offers three ways to schedule recurring or one-off work:
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2732</Tip>
2833
2934<Note>
30 By default, scheduled tasks run against whatever state your working directory is in, including uncommitted changes. Enable the worktree toggle when creating the task to give each run its own [isolated Git worktree](/docs/en/desktop#run-a-session-in-its-own-worktree).
35 By default, local scheduled tasks run against whatever state your working directory is in, including uncommitted changes. To give each run its own [isolated Git worktree](/docs/en/desktop#run-a-session-in-its-own-worktree) instead, select **Worktree** in the task's [**Edit** form](#manage-scheduled-tasks) after you create it. The checkbox is available when the task's folder is a Git repository.
3136</Note>
3237
3338## Create a scheduled task
3439
35On Claude Desktop before 1.1.5368, local scheduled tasks aren't available. In the [**Code** tab](/docs/en/desktop), click **Routines** in the sidebar or in the sidebar's **More** menu, then click **New routine** and choose **Local**. Configure these fields:
40Local scheduled tasks require Claude Desktop 1.1.5368 or later.
3641
37| Field | Description |
38| - | - |
39| Name | Identifier for the task. Converted to lowercase kebab-case and used as the folder name on disk. Must be unique across your tasks. |
40| Description | Short summary shown in the task list. |
41| Instructions | What Claude should do when the task runs. Write this the same way you'd write any message in the prompt box. The instructions input includes pickers for the permission mode and model, and below it you select the working folder and whether to run in an isolated worktree. |
42| Schedule | How often the task runs. See [schedule options](#schedule-options) below. |
42<Steps>
43 <Step title="Open the Scheduled tasks page">
44 In the [**Code** tab](/docs/en/desktop), click **Scheduled** in the sidebar or in the sidebar's **More** menu.
45 </Step>
4346
44A folder is required before you can save the task. If you haven't trusted that folder yet, Desktop prompts you to trust it before saving.
47 <Step title="Start a new task">
48 Click **New task**. If a menu opens with **Create with Claude** and **Set up manually**, select **Set up manually**. The **New scheduled task** dialog opens. If **Only on this computer** is at the top of the dialog, go to [Dialog with Only on this computer at the top](#dialog-with-only-on-this-computer-at-the-top) before you enter anything.
49 </Step>
4550
46You can also create a task by describing what you want in any session. For example, "set up a daily code review that runs every morning at 9am" creates a recurring task, and "remind me at 3pm tomorrow to check the deploy" creates a one-time task that disables itself after it fires.
51 <Step title="Name the task">
52 Enter a name in the **Name** field. Desktop converts it to lowercase kebab-case and uses it as the task's folder name on disk, so the name must be unique across your tasks.
53 </Step>
4754
55 <Step title="Write the instructions">
56 In the box below the name, enter what Claude should do when the task runs.
57 </Step>
58
59 <Step title="Turn on Only on this computer">
60 Skip past the **Trigger** card for now and expand **Advanced settings** below it. On the **General** tab, turn on **Only on this computer**. With it on, the task runs on your machine in a local folder, and the **Trigger** card offers the presets listed in [Schedule options](#schedule-options).
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62 If the switch is unavailable, clear the repository or the GitHub event or API trigger, because those make the task a [cloud scheduled task](/docs/en/routines).
63 </Step>
64
65 <Step title="Pick the local folder">
66 In the **Local folder** row, select a folder. **Create** stays unavailable until you pick one.
67 </Step>
68
69 <Step title="Set the schedule">
70 Back in the **Trigger** card, select a [schedule preset](#schedule-options).
71 </Step>
72
73 <Step title="Choose the permission mode and model">
74 In the instructions box's toolbar, select a [permission mode](#permissions-for-scheduled-tasks) and model. If you leave them unchanged, runs use your Claude Code settings and the default model.
75 </Step>
76
77 <Step title="Create the task">
78 Click **Create**. If you haven't trusted the folder yet, Desktop asks you to trust it at this point. The task's detail page opens.
79 </Step>
80</Steps>
81
82On the detail page, click the pencil icon to open the [**Edit** form](#manage-scheduled-tasks). There you can change the **Description** that Desktop filled in from your instructions, select **Worktree**, or switch the schedule to **Manual**.
83
84You can also create a task by describing what you want in any session. For example, "set up a daily code review that runs every morning at 9am" creates a recurring task. A request like "remind me at 3pm tomorrow to check the deploy" creates a one-time task that disables itself after it fires.
85
86### Dialog with Only on this computer at the top
87
88If **Only on this computer** is at the top of the **New scheduled task** dialog when it opens, turn it on before you enter anything. When you turn it on, a separate blank form for a local task replaces the form.
89
90Then fill in the local form's fields:
91
92* **Name**: enter a name, as in the [steps to create a scheduled task](#create-a-scheduled-task).
93* **Description**: enter a description. **Create** stays unavailable until you do.
94* **The instructions box**: enter what Claude should do when the task runs. Select the permission mode and model from the menus in the box.
95* **Working folder**: select the folder the task runs in. **Create** stays unavailable until you select one.
96* **Trigger**: select a schedule. **Custom** takes a cron expression. For the other presets, see [Schedule options](#schedule-options).
97
98Click **Create**. The task's detail page opens.
99
48100## Schedule options
49101
50Pick a preset from the Schedule control:
102When you turn on **Only on this computer** under **Advanced settings**, the **Trigger** card offers Hourly, Daily, Weekdays, and Weekly. The task's [**Edit** form](#manage-scheduled-tasks) also offers **Manual**.
51103
52* **Manual**: no schedule, only runs when you click **Run now**. Useful for saving a prompt you trigger on demand
53104* **Hourly**: runs every hour
54105* **Daily**: runs every day at the local time you pick
55106* **Weekdays**: same as Daily but skips Saturday and Sunday
56107* **Weekly**: shows a time picker and a day picker
108* **Manual**: no schedule, only runs when you click **Run now**. Useful for saving a prompt you trigger on demand
57109
58110For intervals the picker doesn't offer, such as every 15 minutes, the first of each month, or a single run at a specific future time, ask Claude in any Desktop session to set the schedule. Use plain language; for example, "schedule a task to run all the tests every 6 hours."
59111
60112## How scheduled tasks run
61113
62Scheduled tasks run on your machine. Desktop checks the schedule every minute while the app is open and starts a fresh session when a task is due, independent of any manual sessions you have open. Each task gets a small delay of a few minutes after the scheduled time to stagger API traffic. The delay is deterministic: the same task always starts at the same offset.
114Local scheduled tasks run on your machine. Desktop checks the schedule every minute while the app is open and starts a fresh session when a task is due, independent of any manual sessions you have open. Each task gets a small delay of a few minutes after the scheduled time to stagger API traffic. The delay is deterministic: the same task always starts at the same offset.
63115
64When a task fires, you get a desktop notification and a new session appears under a **Scheduled** section in the sidebar. Open it to see what Claude did, review changes, or respond to permission prompts. Claude can edit files, run commands, create commits, and open pull requests, the same as in a session you start yourself, but can't send or receive [messages between your desktop sessions](/docs/en/desktop#work-across-sessions) through the desktop app's session surface.
116Tasks only run while the desktop app is running and your computer is awake. If your computer sleeps through a scheduled time, the run is skipped. To prevent idle-sleep, turn on **Keep computer awake** in **Settings > This computer > System**. Closing the laptop lid still puts it to sleep.
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66Tasks only run while the desktop app is running and your computer is awake. If your computer sleeps through a scheduled time, the run is skipped. To prevent idle-sleep, turn on **Keep computer awake** in **Settings > This computer > System**. Closing the laptop lid still puts it to sleep. For tasks that need to run even when your computer is off, or that should trigger on an API call or GitHub event, create a remote [routine](/docs/en/routines) instead.
118<Note>
119 For tasks that need to run even when your computer is off, or that should trigger on an API call or GitHub event, create a [cloud scheduled task](/docs/en/routines) instead.
120</Note>
67121
122When a local task fires, a new session appears under a **Scheduled** section in the sidebar. Open it to see what Claude did, review changes, or respond to permission prompts. Claude can edit files, run commands, create commits, and open pull requests, the same as in a session you start yourself.
123
68124## Missed runs
69125
70126When the app starts or your computer wakes, Desktop checks whether each task missed any runs in the last seven days. If it did, Desktop starts exactly one catch-up run for the most recently missed time and discards anything older. A daily task that missed six days runs once on wake. Desktop shows a notification when a catch-up run starts.
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82138## Manage scheduled tasks
83139
84In the **Code** tab, click a task in the **Routines** list to open its detail page. From here you can:
140In the **Code** tab, click **Scheduled** in the sidebar, then click a task in the list to open its detail page. From here you can:
85141
86142* **Run now**: start the task immediately without waiting for the next scheduled time
87143* **Status**: toggle between Active and Paused to pause or resume scheduled runs without deleting the task
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98154
99155## Related resources
100156
101* [Routines](/docs/en/routines): run tasks in the cloud on a schedule, via API call, or in response to GitHub events, even when your computer is off
157* [Cloud scheduled tasks](/docs/en/routines): run tasks in the cloud on a schedule, via API call, or in response to GitHub events, even when your computer is off
102158* [Run prompts on a schedule](/docs/en/scheduled-tasks): session-scoped scheduling with `/loop` in the CLI
103159* [Claude Code GitHub Actions](/docs/en/github-actions): run Claude on a schedule in CI instead of on your machine
104160* [Use Claude Code Desktop](/docs/en/desktop): the full Desktop app guide
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