Exploratory Guide ⚠️ Cowork is brand new and evolving rapidly. This guide reflects my current understanding and will change as I learn. Expect instability and frequent updates.

Master Claude Cowork

The complete guide for Claude's desktop AI assistant

26 workflows | 70 prompts | Security best practices

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TL;DR

What you need to know in 30 seconds

Target Audience Knowledge workers (non-developers)
Platform macOS only (Windows planned)
Cost Pro $20/mo or Max $100-200/mo
Status Early Access (unstable, rapidly evolving)
Best For File organization, document creation, OCR
Not For Code execution, API calls, cloud storage
Quick Setup

Get Started in 3 Steps

15 minutes to your first automated workflow

1

Install Claude Desktop

Download from claude.ai/download (macOS only, Pro $20/mo required)

2

Follow Security Setup

Read Getting Started guide for safe isolation and backup configuration

3

Copy Your First Prompt

Start with 70 ready-to-use prompts for common tasks

Why This Guide?

Stop wasting hours. Start working safely and efficiently from day one.

😰

Without the Guide

  • ✗ Blocked from working for hours with setup issues
  • ✗ Out of quota after 1 hour, can't finish work
  • ✗ Risk exposing passwords, confidential files, API keys
  • ✗ Write every instruction manually, every time
  • ✗ No idea what tasks are safe to delegate
  • ✗ Files accidentally deleted with no backup
🚀

With the Guide

  • ✓ Working in 15 minutes with step-by-step setup
  • ✓ Make your quota last 3-4x longer with smart tips
  • ✓ Keep passwords & files safe with isolation setup
  • ✓ 70 copy-paste prompts ready to use instantly
  • ✓ Clear guidelines: what's safe, what's risky
  • ✓ Built-in backups before every risky operation
What's Inside

Complete Documentation

Everything you need to master Cowork

🔄

5 Step-by-Step Workflows

From file organization to team handoffs. Complete with input/output examples and troubleshooting.

Beginner → Advanced Popular 💬

70 Ready-to-Use Prompts

Copy-paste prompts for file ops, document creation, data extraction, and web research.

4 categories 🛡️

Security Guide

Prompt injection defense, workspace isolation, browser permission management, incident response.

12 min read 🔧

Troubleshooting

VPN issues, permission bugs, mid-task failures, quota management. Decision tree included.

8 min read ⚖️

Product Comparison

Cowork vs Claude Code vs Copilot vs Gemini vs ChatGPT. When to use what.

Decision matrix 📋

Cheatsheet

1-page printable reference. CTOC framework, golden rules, keyboard shortcuts.

Print-ready 🎨

Profile Personalization

Create a personal .md profile to set Claude's voice, tone, and style. Template included.

New ⚙️

Model Selection

Sonnet vs Opus: when to use each model. Speed, cost, and capability trade-offs.

New
Step-by-Step

25 Complete Workflows

Organized by task type - Administrative, Commercial, Production, Communication, Organization

📄

Invoice/Quote Generation

Create invoices from templates. VAT calculations, legal mentions.

Beginner 🔄

Quote → Invoice

Automatically convert accepted quotes to invoices.

Beginner ⏰

Payment Reminders

Generate escalating reminders (R1, R2, R3, formal notice).

Intermediate ✅

Compliance Verification

Check mandatory documents (certifications, insurance).

Intermediate 📊

Client Follow-up Tracker

Excel dashboard with statuses and next actions.

Beginner 💰

Supplier Price Comparison

Multi-quote analysis with weighted scoring.

Beginner 🔍

Prospect Research

Company investigation (ID, revenue, financial health, decision-makers).

Intermediate 📝

Detailed Quote Creation

Professional quotes with pricing and variants.

Intermediate 📈

Competitor Analysis

Local benchmarking (pricing, offers, reviews).

Intermediate 📊

Commercial Presentations

Structured PowerPoint/Keynote for clients.

Intermediate 📧

Client Newsletters

Create regular responsive HTML newsletters.

Intermediate 📅

Project/Site Planning

Gantt planning with milestones and dependencies.

Intermediate 📦

Inventory Tracking

Inventory with reorder alerts and valuation.

Intermediate 📓

Work Log

Daily activity report compliant with regulations.

Beginner ✓

Quality Control

Standardized verification checklists by trade.

Beginner 🛒

Supplier Orders

Optimized purchase order preparation.

Intermediate 📱

Social Media Posts

LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram with calendar.

Beginner ✉️

Email Templates

Reusable professional email library.

Beginner ⭐

Review Responses

Manage Google/Facebook reviews with response strategies.

Beginner 🎓

Knowledge Transfer

Training documentation for apprentices and succession.

Advanced 📁

File Organization

Automatic folder sorting by type and date.

Beginner 🧾

Expense Tracking

Receipts to Excel accounting with OCR.

Intermediate 📝

Meeting Preparation

Structured client/supplier briefings.

Intermediate
Copy & Paste

70 Ready-to-Use Prompts

Organized by category, tested and refined

📂

File Operations

Organization, renaming, cleanup, deduplication

20 prompts 📄

Document Creation

Reports, summaries, presentations, Excel

16 prompts 🔍

Data Extraction

Images → data, PDF parsing, OCR

17 prompts 🌐

Web Research

Research, synthesis, competitive analysis

17 prompts
Example: Expense Receipt Extraction 
Analyze all receipt images in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/receipts/

For each receipt, extract:
- Date
- Vendor name
- Total amount
- Category (meals, transport, supplies, other)

Create an Excel file at ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/expenses.xlsx with:
- One row per receipt
- Columns for each extracted field
- A summary sheet with totals by category
- Use semicolon separators for EU locale formulas

Cowork vs Other Tools

Choose the right tool for your task

Feature Cowork Claude Code Copilot ChatGPT
Target User Knowledge workers Developers Office users Everyone
Local File Access Sandbox Full Office only Upload only
Execute Code No Full shell No No
Create Office Docs Native Via scripts Native No
Browser Automation Chrome Via tools No Operator beta
Multi-step Planning Yes Yes Limited GPTs only
Platform macOS only All Windows/Mac All
Status Preview Production Production Production

Rule of thumb: Use Chat (80%) for thinking/writing/coding. Use Cowork (20%) for batch files and automation.

Glossary

Key Terms

Essential vocabulary for getting started with Cowork

Workspace

The macOS folder where Claude can read/write files. Set up properly to keep work separate from personal files.

Prompt

Instructions you give to Claude. Can be simple ("organize these files") or complex workflows with multiple steps.

Workflow

A repeatable sequence of actions (read files → process → create output). Like a recipe you can reuse.

Token

Unit that measures text processed by Claude. ~4 characters = 1 token. Pro plan gives 5M tokens/month.

Context

Information Claude remembers during a conversation. Like short-term memory—limited but powerful.

Sandbox

Isolated testing area. Lets you experiment safely without affecting real files or data.

OCR

Optical Character Recognition. Claude can read text from photos/scans and convert to editable text.

Artifact

File created by Claude (document, spreadsheet, etc.). Appears in Claude's interface for preview/download.

See complete glossary for 30+ technical terms and advanced concepts.

7 Golden Rules

Follow these to avoid the most common mistakes

1

Always review the plan

Cowork proposes, you decide. Read every execution plan before approving. Look for unexpected actions.

2

Dedicated workspace only

Never grant access to ~/Documents, ~/Desktop, or your home folder. Create ~/Cowork-Workspace/ instead.

3

No credentials in workspace

Keep passwords, API keys, and secrets out of Cowork-accessible folders. Content is sent to Anthropic servers.

4

Verify file sources

Prompt injection risk in untrusted files. Malicious PDFs can manipulate Cowork behavior.

5

Budget error correction time

OCR accuracy is ~97% for fields, ~63% for line items. Always verify extracted data.

6

Disconnect VPN

The #1 reported issue. VPN breaks VM networking. Disconnect before using Cowork.

7

Backup before destructive ops

No undo for file deletions. Run cp -R ~/Cowork-Workspace/ ~/Cowork-Backup/ first.

Are You a Developer?

Claude Code offers full shell access and AI-powered coding workflows for developers.

✓ Write code in terminal or IDE daily ✓ Run builds, tests, deploy commands ✓ Want AI that edits files autonomously
>_
Claude Code Ultimate Guide
66 Templates • 227 Quiz Questions • 11,100+ Lines
View Claude Code Guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to common questions

What is Cowork?

Cowork is Claude's agentic desktop feature that manipulates local files, creates documents, and organizes your workspace—without writing code. Think of it as Claude Code for knowledge workers.

How much does Cowork cost?

Cowork requires a Pro ($20/month) or Max ($100-200/month) subscription. Pro is recommended for light use only—quota exhausts in ~1-1.5 hours of intensive use.

Does Cowork work on Windows or Linux?

Not yet (January 2026). macOS only. Windows is on Anthropic's roadmap but has no ETA. Linux has no official announcement. Use Claude Code for Linux agentic capabilities.

Can I use Cowork with a VPN?

No. VPN software creates routing conflicts with Cowork's internal VM networking. This is the #1 reported issue. Disconnect VPN completely before using Cowork.

Is Cowork secure?

There's no official security documentation yet (research preview). Best practices: use dedicated workspace folder, review every plan, keep credentials out, verify file sources.

What can Cowork NOT do?

Cowork cannot: execute code/scripts, make API calls, access cloud storage directly (Google Drive, Dropbox), process audio/video, decrypt encrypted files.

When should I use Chat vs Cowork?

Chat (80%): reasoning, writing, coding, exploratory tasks. Cowork (20%): batch file operations, document creation, browser automation. Together they enable workflows impossible with either alone.

What's the difference from Claude Code?

Claude Code: terminal interface, full shell access, for developers. Cowork: desktop app, file-only access, for knowledge workers. They share architecture but differ in capabilities.

Can Cowork create Excel formulas?

Yes! Cowork can create Excel files with working formulas, multiple sheets, and formatting. Specify your regional setting (US comma vs EU semicolon) in your prompt.

What are the usage limits?

Usage resets every 5 hours (not daily/monthly). Pro tier: ~45 short messages per reset (~1-1.5h intensive use). Max tier: 5x-20x more. File processing consumes tokens rapidly.

Is this guide official?

No, this is exploratory research. Cowork is brand new (launched January 2026). This guide reflects my personal experimentation and current understanding—both will evolve rapidly as the product matures and I discover what works. Expect content changes, corrections, and pivots. Not affiliated with Anthropic.

Who is behind this guide?

Created by Florian BRUNIAUX, a developer experimenting with Cowork since its recent launch. This is a living document—I'm learning in real-time and documenting my findings as they evolve. Feedback, corrections, and reality checks are essential!

Can I contribute to the guide?

Yes! The guide repository is open-source. Found an error? Have a better prompt? Contributions welcome on GitHub.