Schedule recurring tasks in Claude Code Desktop changeddesktop-scheduled-tasks
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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 **Scheduled tasks** page lists both local scheduled tasks and [cloud scheduled tasks](/docs/en/routines), formerly routines:
7The Desktop app's **Scheduled tasks** page lists both local scheduled tasks and [cloud scheduled tasks](/docs/en/routines.md), formerly routines:
88
99* **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
1010* **Cloud task**: runs even when your computer is off, and can also start on API calls or GitHub events
1111
12This page covers local scheduled tasks; for cloud scheduled tasks and their trigger options, see [Automate work with scheduled tasks](/docs/en/routines).
12This page covers local scheduled tasks; for cloud scheduled tasks and their trigger options, see [Automate work with scheduled tasks](/docs/en/routines.md).
1313
1414## Compare scheduling options
1515
1616Claude Code offers three ways to schedule recurring or one-off work:
1717
18| | [Cloud](/docs/en/routines) | [Desktop](/docs/en/desktop-scheduled-tasks) | [`/loop`](/docs/en/scheduled-tasks) |
18| | [Cloud](/docs/en/routines.md) | [Desktop](/docs/en/desktop-scheduled-tasks.md) | [`/loop`](/docs/en/scheduled-tasks) |
1919| :- | :- | :- | :- |
2020| Runs on | Cloud, Anthropic-managed by default | Your machine | Your machine |
2121| Requires machine on | No | Yes | Yes |
2222| Requires open session | No | No | Yes |
23| Persistent across restarts | Yes | Yes | Restored on `--resume`, with [exceptions](/docs/en/scheduled-tasks#limitations) |
23| Persistent across restarts | Yes | Yes | Restored on `--resume`, with [exceptions](/docs/en/scheduled-tasks.md#limitations) |
2424| Access to local files | No (fresh clone) | Yes | Yes |
25| MCP servers | Connectors configured per task | [Config files](/docs/en/mcp) and connectors | Inherits from session |
25| MCP servers | Connectors configured per task | [Config files](/docs/en/mcp.md) and connectors | Inherits from session |
2626| Permission prompts | No (runs autonomously) | Configurable per task | Inherits from session |
2727| Customizable schedule | Yes | Yes | Yes |
28| Minimum interval | 1 hour | 1 minute when Claude sets it, [1 hour in the forms](/docs/en/desktop-scheduled-tasks#schedule-options) | 1 minute |
28| Minimum interval | 1 hour | 1 minute when Claude sets it, [1 hour in the forms](/docs/en/desktop-scheduled-tasks.md#schedule-options) | 1 minute |
2929
3030> [!TIP]
3131>
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3434> [!NOTE]
3535>
36> 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.
36> 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.md#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.
3737
3838## Create a scheduled task
3939
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4242**1. Open the Scheduled tasks page**
4343
44In the [**Code** tab](/docs/en/desktop), click **Scheduled** in the sidebar or in the sidebar's **More** menu.
44In the [**Code** tab](/docs/en/desktop.md), click **Scheduled** in the sidebar or in the sidebar's **More** menu.
4545
4646**2. Start a new task**
4747
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6060Skip 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.
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62If 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).
62If 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.md).
6363
6464**6. Pick the local folder**
6565
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116116
117117> [!NOTE]
118118>
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.
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.md) instead.
120120
121121### Find a run's session
122122
123123To open the session a run started, go to the task's [detail page](#manage-scheduled-tasks) and click that run's row in the **History** list.
124124
125The sidebar's session list can show a **Scheduled** group as well, with one row per task. To open the session of a task's latest run, click the task's row in that group. To show the group, [check which layout you have](/docs/en/desktop#check-which-layout-you-have):
125The sidebar's session list can show a **Scheduled** group as well, with one row per task. To open the session of a task's latest run, click the task's row in that group. To show the group, [check which layout you have](/docs/en/desktop.md#check-which-layout-you-have):
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127* **Current layout**: open the [**Group and sort** menu](/docs/en/desktop#organize-and-find-sessions), select **Show**, then select **Scheduled**. The group starts collapsed, so click its heading to expand it. **Show** lists **Scheduled** when at least one of your tasks is **Active**, the **Status** a task's detail page shows. If it isn't listed, use the **History** list, which works whether or not the group shows.
127* **Current layout**: open the [**Group and sort** menu](/docs/en/desktop.md#organize-and-find-sessions), select **Show**, then select **Scheduled**. The group starts collapsed, so click its heading to expand it. **Show** lists **Scheduled** when at least one of your tasks is **Active**, the **Status** a task's detail page shows. If it isn't listed, use the **History** list, which works whether or not the group shows.
128128* **Earlier layout**: the group is in the session list with nothing to turn on
129129
130130In a run's session, whichever way you reached it, you can see what Claude did, review changes, and 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.
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137137
138138## Permissions for scheduled tasks
139139
140Each task has its own permission mode, which you set when creating or editing the task. Allow rules from `~/.claude/settings.json` also apply to scheduled task sessions. If a task runs in [Manual mode](/docs/en/desktop#choose-a-permission-mode) and needs to run a tool it doesn't have permission for, the run stalls until you approve it. To approve it, [find the run's session](#find-a-runs-session) and answer the permission prompt there.
140Each task has its own permission mode, which you set when creating or editing the task. Allow rules from `~/.claude/settings.json` also apply to scheduled task sessions. If a task runs in [Manual mode](/docs/en/desktop.md#choose-a-permission-mode) and needs to run a tool it doesn't have permission for, the run stalls until you approve it. To approve it, [find the run's session](#find-a-runs-session) and answer the permission prompt there.
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142142To avoid stalls, click **Run now** after creating a task, watch for permission prompts, and select "always allow" for each one. Future runs of that task auto-approve the same tools without prompting. You can review and revoke these approvals from the task's detail page.
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152152* **Edit**: change the instructions, schedule, folder, or other settings
153153* **Review history**: see every past run, including skipped runs. Hover a skipped entry to see why: your computer was asleep, the previous run was still in progress, or other scheduled tasks were already running. Click **Show more** to load older entries.
154154* **Review allowed permissions**: see and revoke saved tool approvals for this task from the **Always allowed** panel
155* **Delete**: remove the task. The sessions the task created are [archived](/docs/en/desktop#organize-and-find-sessions), not deleted. The folder holding the task's `SKILL.md` file stays on disk at `~/.claude/scheduled-tasks/<task-name>/`, or at `scheduled-tasks/<task-name>/` under [`CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR`](/docs/en/env-vars) if you set that variable. To remove that folder, delete it yourself.
155* **Delete**: remove the task. The sessions the task created are [archived](/docs/en/desktop.md#organize-and-find-sessions), not deleted. The folder holding the task's `SKILL.md` file stays on disk at `~/.claude/scheduled-tasks/<task-name>/`, or at `scheduled-tasks/<task-name>/` under [`CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR`](/docs/en/env-vars) if you set that variable. To remove that folder, delete it yourself.
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157157You can also list, create, edit, and pause tasks by asking Claude in any Desktop session. For example, "pause my dependency-audit task" or "show me my scheduled tasks." To delete a task, use the **Delete** button on its detail page.
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163163## Related resources
164164
165* [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
166* [Run prompts on a schedule](/docs/en/scheduled-tasks): session-scoped scheduling with `/loop` in the CLI
167* [Claude Code GitHub Actions](/docs/en/github-actions): run Claude on a schedule in CI instead of on your machine
168* [Use Claude Code Desktop](/docs/en/desktop): the full Desktop app guide
165* [Cloud scheduled tasks](/docs/en/routines.md): run tasks in the cloud on a schedule, via API call, or in response to GitHub events, even when your computer is off
166* [Run prompts on a schedule](/docs/en/scheduled-tasks.md): session-scoped scheduling with `/loop` in the CLI
167* [Claude Code GitHub Actions](/docs/en/github-actions.md): run Claude on a schedule in CI instead of on your machine
168* [Use Claude Code Desktop](/docs/en/desktop.md): the full Desktop app guide
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