Anthropic announced local scheduled tasks in Claude Code desktop on March 6, 2026, enabling users to automate recurring workflows on their computers. The feature runs locally while the computer is awake and the Claude Desktop app is open, with access to the same capabilities as regular Cowork tasks including connected tools, skills, and installed plugins.
Scheduled Tasks Support Common Enterprise Workflows
The scheduled tasks feature targets repetitive workflows across multiple business functions. Common use cases include daily briefings summarizing Slack messages or emails, weekly reports compiling data from Google Drive or spreadsheets, recurring research tracking topics or competitors, file organization to periodically sort files, and team updates generating status summaries from project management tools. Tasks can be created by opening Cowork, clicking '+ New task' or using an existing task, then typing /schedule to start.
Feature Available Across All Paid Plans With Local Execution
Scheduled tasks are available in Cowork on Claude Desktop for all paid plans including Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise. Tasks execute locally on the user's desktop with full capability access, matching the functionality of interactive Cowork sessions. If the computer is asleep or the Claude Desktop app is closed when a task is scheduled to run, Cowork skips the task and runs it automatically once the computer wakes up or the app opens again.
Third-Party Solutions Address 'Always-On' Limitations
The requirement for the Claude Desktop app to remain open has prompted third-party solutions. The open-source project 'runCLAUDErun' uses operating system native scheduling infrastructure including cron for macOS and Linux, and Task Scheduler for Windows. These tools enable scheduled tasks to run even when the Claude Desktop app is closed, positioning Claude Code as a true automation platform for 'set and forget' workflows.
Key Takeaways
- Anthropic launched local scheduled tasks in Claude Code desktop on March 6, 2026, enabling automated recurring workflows while the computer is awake
- Common use cases include daily briefings from Slack/email, weekly reports from Google Drive, recurring research tracking, file organization, and team status updates
- The feature is available on Claude Desktop for all paid plans (Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise) with full access to connected tools, skills, and installed plugins
- Scheduled tasks only run while the computer is awake and Claude Desktop app is open; tasks are skipped and run later if the computer sleeps or app closes
- Third-party open-source project 'runCLAUDErun' enables 'always-on' scheduled tasks using native OS scheduling (cron for macOS/Linux, Task Scheduler for Windows)