Lesson 2: The Web, Desktop and Mobile Apps

One account, three ways in

Claude's chat apps come in three forms. All three open the same account.

• Web app: runs in a browser at claude.ai. Nothing to install.
• Desktop app: an installed program for macOS and Windows. A Linux version is in beta.
• Mobile app: for iOS and Android.

Think of work email: one mailbox, opened from a browser, a desktop program or a phone. Anthropic's download page states that conversations, projects, memory and preferences sync across all devices when you are signed in. The apps are available on every plan (Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise), although some features inside them need a paid plan.

The practical consequence is that you do not choose one app. You choose the right one for the moment.

Task 1: Find the five controls in the web app

Start on the web, because the other two apps follow the same layout.

1. Open a browser, go to claude.ai and sign in. Use a work account if your organisation provides one.
2. Find the chat box. This is the text field where you type a message.
3. Find the model picker. On web and desktop, the name of the current model appears below the text input. Click it to see the available models. Do not change it yet; choosing a model is the next level.
4. Find file upload. Click the + button at the lower left of the chat box and select Add files or photos. You can also drag a file into the chat window.
5. Find chat history. Past conversations are listed in the left sidebar. Hover over one and click the ⋮ button to rename or delete it.
6. Find Settings. Open your account menu and select Settings. Look only; later levels cover what to change.

Check: you can point to all five without hunting. If a label looks different from the one above, trust the screen. The interface is revised often.

Upload facts worth knowing now, from Anthropic's help centre:

• Up to 20 files per chat.
• Common types are accepted, including PDF, DOCX, CSV, TXT and XLSX, plus JPEG, PNG, GIF and WebP images.
• The data-sensitivity rule from Level 1 still applies. Check your organisation's policy before you upload anything confidential.

Task 2: Match the app to the situation

Desk work: the web app

• Best for a borrowed or locked-down computer, or when you cannot install software.
• Example: an HR coordinator at a shared workstation drafts interview questions in a browser tab and signs out afterwards.

Work alongside local files: the desktop app

• Requires macOS 11 or later, or Windows 10 or later.
• Chat is available on all plans.
• Adds tools that reach your computer: desktop extensions that connect Claude to local tools and files, and Claude Cowork, which works on tasks using files and folders you give it access to. Cowork requires a paid plan (Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise).
• On a Mac, quick entry opens Claude over whatever you are working on. The default shortcut is a double-tap of the Option key. Anthropic's pages disagree on whether quick entry is available on Windows, so check Settings in your own app.
• Example: a finance analyst with a folder of monthly exports keeps Claude open beside the spreadsheets instead of switching browser tabs.

These tools are named here so you recognise them. How to use them comes later in the course.

Work on the move: the mobile app

• The + button attaches a photo, a camera shot or a file. The model name appears at the top of the screen instead of below the text input.
• Voice mode lets you speak and hear replies. Anthropic labels it beta. It also runs on desktop and web, but is built to work best on a phone.
• Example: a project manager photographs a whiteboard after a site meeting and asks for a list of actions before the train home.

Task 3: Confirm what is current

App features change monthly. Before you rely on one, or tell a colleague it exists, check two pages:

1. claude.com/download lists the platforms on offer and the headline features of each app.
2. support.claude.com (the help centre) gives system requirements, plan availability and step-by-step instructions.

On each page, look for three things: the platform, the plan required, and any "beta" label. A beta feature can change or be withdrawn.

Task 4: Start on one device, finish on another

1. In the web app, start a new chat. Type: "Give me three questions to ask at a project kickoff meeting."
2. Wait for the reply. Note the title the chat receives in the sidebar.
3. Install the mobile app from the App Store or Google Play, using the links on claude.com/download.
4. Sign in with the same account.
5. Open the chat list and find the chat by its title.
6. Reply from the phone: "Add one question about budget."
7. Return to the browser, refresh the page and confirm the new message is there.

If the chat is missing, check these in order:

• Are you signed in with the same email address on both devices?
• If you belong to more than one organisation or workspace, is the same one selected on both?
• Does the phone have a connection? Close and reopen the app.

Key takeaways

• The web, desktop and mobile apps are three views of one account. Chats, projects, memory and preferences sync when you are signed in.
• In the web app, know five controls: chat box, model picker (below the text input), the + button for files, the sidebar for history, and Settings.
• Use the web app when you cannot install software, the desktop app when the work sits in local files, and the mobile app when you are away from your desk.
• Some features need a paid plan and some are beta. Check claude.com/download and the help centre before relying on any of them.
• The sync test takes two minutes: start a chat on one device, find it on another, reply, and confirm the reply appears on the first.