Let Claude use your computer from the CLI changedcomputer-use
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99Computer use lets Claude open apps, control your screen, and work on your machine the way you would. From the CLI, Claude can compile a Swift app, launch it, click through every button, and screenshot the result, all in the same conversation where it wrote the code.
1010
11This page covers how computer use works in the CLI. For the Desktop app on macOS or Windows, see [computer use in Desktop](/docs/en/desktop#let-claude-use-your-computer).
11This page covers how computer use works in the CLI. For the Desktop app on macOS or Windows, see [computer use in Desktop](/docs/en/desktop.md#let-claude-use-your-computer).
1212
1313## What you can do with computer use
1414
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2323
2424Claude has several ways to interact with an app or service. Computer use is the broadest and slowest, so Claude tries the most precise tool first:
2525
26* If you have an [MCP server](/docs/en/mcp) for the service, Claude uses that.
26* If you have an [MCP server](/docs/en/mcp.md) for the service, Claude uses that.
2727* If the task is a shell command, Claude uses Bash.
28* If the task is browser work and you have [Claude in Chrome](/docs/en/chrome) set up, Claude uses that.
28* If the task is browser work and you have [Claude in Chrome](/docs/en/chrome.md) set up, Claude uses that.
2929* If none of those apply, Claude uses computer use.
3030
3131Screen control is reserved for things nothing else can reach: native apps, simulators such as the iOS Simulator, and tools without an API.
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8686
8787Approve Finder to let Claude click the desktop, the Dock, or a Finder window.
8888
89Claude's level of control also varies by app category: browsers and trading platforms are view-only, terminals and IDEs are click-only, and everything else gets full control. See [app permissions in Desktop](/docs/en/desktop#app-permissions) for the complete tier breakdown.
89Claude's level of control also varies by app category: browsers and trading platforms are view-only, terminals and IDEs are click-only, and everything else gets full control. See [app permissions in Desktop](/docs/en/desktop.md#app-permissions) for the complete tier breakdown.
9090
9191## How Claude works on your screen
9292
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118118
119119> [!WARNING]
120120>
121> Unlike the [sandboxed Bash tool](/docs/en/sandboxing), computer use runs on your actual desktop with access to the apps you approve. Claude checks each action and flags potential prompt injection from on-screen content, but the trust boundary is different. See the [computer use safety guide](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/14128542) for best practices.
121> Unlike the [sandboxed Bash tool](/docs/en/sandboxing.md), computer use runs on your actual desktop with access to the apps you approve. Claude checks each action and flags potential prompt injection from on-screen content, but the trust boundary is different. See the [computer use safety guide](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/14128542) for best practices.
122122
123123The built-in guardrails reduce risk without requiring configuration:
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165165screens, and tell me if any screen takes more than a second to load.
166166```
167167
168Claude controls the simulator the same way you would with a mouse. This flow applies to the CLI; in the Desktop app, the same request opens the [iOS Simulator pane](/docs/en/desktop-ios-simulator) instead of screen control.
168Claude controls the simulator the same way you would with a mouse. This flow applies to the CLI; in the Desktop app, the same request opens the [iOS Simulator pane](/docs/en/desktop-ios-simulator.md) instead of screen control.
169169
170170## Differences from the Desktop app
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193193
194194The server only appears on eligible setups. Check that:
195195
196* You're on macOS. Computer use in the CLI is not available on Linux or Windows. On Windows, use [computer use in Desktop](/docs/en/desktop#let-claude-use-your-computer) instead.
196* You're on macOS. Computer use in the CLI is not available on Linux or Windows. On Windows, use [computer use in Desktop](/docs/en/desktop.md#let-claude-use-your-computer) instead.
197197* You're on a Pro or Max plan. Run `/status` to confirm your subscription.
198198* You're authenticated through claude.ai. Computer use is not available with third-party providers like Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud's Agent Platform, or Microsoft Foundry. If you access Claude exclusively through a third-party provider, you need a separate claude.ai account to use this feature.
199199* You're in an interactive session. Computer use is not available in non-interactive mode with the `-p` flag.
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200200
201201## See also
202202
203* [Computer use in Desktop](/docs/en/desktop#let-claude-use-your-computer): the same capability with a graphical settings page
204* [Claude in Chrome](/docs/en/chrome): browser automation for web-based tasks
205* [MCP](/docs/en/mcp): connect Claude to structured tools and APIs
206* [Sandboxing](/docs/en/sandboxing): how Claude's Bash tool isolates filesystem and network access
203* [Computer use in Desktop](/docs/en/desktop.md#let-claude-use-your-computer): the same capability with a graphical settings page
204* [Claude in Chrome](/docs/en/chrome.md): browser automation for web-based tasks
205* [MCP](/docs/en/mcp.md): connect Claude to structured tools and APIs
206* [Sandboxing](/docs/en/sandboxing.md): how Claude's Bash tool isolates filesystem and network access
207207* [Computer use safety guide](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/14128542): best practices for safe computer use
208208
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