The upgrade, announced Tuesday and reported by 9to5Mac, is available for Claude Code on macOS for Pro and Max subscribers. Computer use itself is not new for Claude on the desktop; what changes is that the agent can now click, type and navigate apps without commandeering the screen, leaving the user free to keep working on something else.
Why Background Operation Matters
Computer use is the class of AI feature where the model operates software the way a person would: reading what is on screen, clicking buttons, filling forms. In its original form, that meant surrendering the cursor for however long the task took, which turned a supposed productivity feature into a spectator sport.
Running the agent in the background flips that equation. A long task, reorganizing files, working through a repetitive web workflow, running a multi-step coding job that touches other apps, can proceed while the Mac's owner keeps their cursor, their focus and their other windows. As 9to5Mac put it, it is "a major multitasking unlock on the Mac."
Following OpenAI's Lead
Anthropic is not first here. OpenAI brought background computer use to the Mac earlier this year through Codex, the coding agent that was folded into ChatGPT, part of the same wave that gave ChatGPT's Mac app deeper access to what happens on screen. Anthropic's version now brings its main rival to parity on the Mac, where the two companies are competing to become the agent that professionals leave running all day.
The feature ties into Claude Code, Anthropic's developer-focused agent, and the company's broader Cowork direction for desktop work. For now the background mode is macOS-only, with no announced timeline for Windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What did Anthropic announce?
- Background computer use for Claude Code on macOS: the agent can operate the computer, clicking, typing, navigating apps, without taking over the user's cursor and screen.
- Who gets the feature?
- Pro and Max subscribers, on macOS only. No Windows version has been announced.
- What is "computer use" in Claude?
- A feature where Claude operates software like a person would, reading the screen and interacting with apps directly, rather than only answering in a chat window.
- Did OpenAI have this first?
- Yes. OpenAI's Codex-turned-ChatGPT brought background computer use to the Mac earlier this year. Anthropic's upgrade brings Claude to parity.
