Quick answer

Claude Duet is a new app from Anthropic. It is an AI agent that you message like a person. It works on tasks for you, even when you are not looking, and it tells you when it needs you.

Right now, it is a research preview. That means it is still being tested. Only people on the Claude Pro or Max plan in the US can use it, and they must join a waitlist first.

What is Claude Duet?

Claude Duet is a personal AI agent made by Anthropic. You send it a message, by typing or by voice. Then it gets to work.

The regular Claude app waits for you to open a chat. Claude Duet is different. It comes to you. It tells you what needs your attention, works on tasks you give it, and reaches out when something is done or needs your OK.

Claude Duet uses the same Claude account you already have. Your memory, skills, and connected apps are there from your first message.

Claude Duet in one sentence: It is an AI helper that checks your connected apps, works on tasks in the background, and asks before it does anything big.

You can read the official details on the Claude Duet product page and in the Claude Help Center.

How Claude Duet works

Here is how a normal day with Claude Duet can look.

1. You connect your apps. You choose which apps Claude Duet can use. Examples are Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Slack. You start every connection yourself, and you can disconnect any app at any time.
2. You get a morning brief. Each morning, Claude Duet looks at your email and calendar. It picks what needs your attention most. It can also start the first steps, like writing draft replies for you to review.
3. You give it tasks. You can type or record a voice message. Your main chat stays in one place, so Claude Duet remembers where you left off.
4. It works in the cloud. Claude Duet uses its own computer in the cloud. This means it can keep working after you close the app.
5. You review the work. Bigger results come back as files. Examples are a research brief, a financial model, a slide deck, or a dashboard. You can find finished work in the Make tab.
6. You approve the big steps. Claude Duet is built to ask before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document, or deletes anything.

Some example requests from Anthropic's help page:

• "Clear out anything in my inbox that I don't need to read."
• "Check Stripe for unpaid invoices and draft reminder emails for me to approve."
• "Pull together a brief on this company before my 2 pm meeting."

Claude Duet features

Here are the main features that Anthropic lists.

Morning brief. Claude Duet looks across your email and calendar each morning. It picks what needs you most.

Quiet until needed. Anthropic says Claude Duet goes quiet until something needs you. It also follows up on chats that have gone quiet.

Background work. It keeps working after you close the app, because it runs on its own computer in the cloud.

Text and voice. You can type a message or record a voice message.

Connectors. It works with the apps you already connected in Claude. Anthropic names Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Slack, QuickBooks, HubSpot, Docusign, and Calendly as examples.

Plugins. Claude Duet supports plugins, such as the small business plugin.

Its own browser. For websites that do not have a connector, Claude Duet uses its own browser in the cloud.

Files you can edit. Bigger jobs come back as files, such as a deck, a model, or a dashboard.

Tasks tab. This tab shows what Claude Duet is working on. It also shows which tasks need your input.

Search past chats. Claude Duet can search your past chats to get context, so you do not need to repeat yourself. You can turn this off in Settings under Memory.

Approvals. It is designed to ask before big actions.

Who can use Claude Duet?

To use Claude Duet today, you need three things:

• - A Claude Pro or Max plan
• - A Claude account in the US
• - An invitation from the waitlist

It works on iPhone and Android. Anthropic also says you can open it on a computer at claude.ai.

Claude Duet is not on Team or Enterprise plans yet. Anthropic says it plans to bring it to those plans later.

Why you may not have access yet

• Invitations come in waves. Joining the waitlist does not promise a date.
• It is US only for now. This is during the research preview.
• Your emails may not match. The email you used on the waitlist must match your Claude account. It must also match the Google or Apple account on your phone. Access is tied to that email.

How to join the waitlist

Follow these steps from Anthropic's help page.

1. - Go to the Claude Duet product page and select Join the waitlist.
2. - Enter your name and email. If you already use Claude, use the email on your Claude account.
3. - Choose your Claude plan and your phone type, iPhone or Android. You can also share what you do and what you would hand off to Claude Duet first.
4. - Select Submit.
5. - Wait for an email. Anthropic adds people slowly, and you will get an email when it is your turn.
6. - Open the invitation email on your phone. Follow the setup steps for iPhone or Android. Use the Apple or Google account that matches the email you gave.
7. - Open Claude Duet and sign in with your Claude account. It can take a few minutes for the app to show up after you accept.

Claude Duet pricing and usage limits

Is Claude Duet free? It has no extra cost during the research preview. It is included with the Pro and Max plans. But you still need to pay for one of those plans.

Usage limits. Claude Duet uses your plan's usage limits. This includes the five-hour session limit and the weekly limit. It counts at the same rate as chats in Claude.

Background work counts too. The morning brief and check-ins use up some of your limit. So you may reach your limits sooner than if you only used chat. Larger tasks, like a financial model or a deck, use more.

Limit reset. When you are let into the research preview, you get one full limit reset. It resets both your five-hour and weekly limits. Anthropic says this reset is available until November 30, 2026.

Claude Duet vs Claude

Both use your Claude account. The main difference is who starts the work.

The Claude app waits for you to open a chat. You work on something alongside Claude.

Claude Duet comes to you. It tells you what needs attention each morning. It takes tasks by message. It reaches out when a task is done or needs your approval.

Claude Duet is also a separate app for iOS and Android. It runs on Claude Opus 5.5, and you cannot choose a different model during the preview.

Is Claude Duet safe?

Anthropic built in several safety steps. Here is what the company says.

You approve big actions. Claude Duet is designed to show you what it is about to do. Then it waits for your OK before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document, or deletes anything. If you cannot approve right away, it finishes the rest of the task and brings the approval back to you later.

Some things are off limits. Even with your OK, Claude Duet will not trade securities, move money between accounts, or use someone else's account.

Purchases use one-time cards. When you use Link or Shop Pay, Anthropic says each purchase uses a one-time card that only works for that purchase.

It shows its sources. When it gives you a number or a summary, it tells you which email, file, or spreadsheet it came from.

Passwords stay separate. When a website asks for a password, you type it into a separate form on your device. Anthropic says this is designed to keep it out of your chat.

Be aware of prompt injection. Claude Duet reads things written by other people, like emails and web pages. Some of that content may try to trick it with hidden instructions. This is called prompt injection. Anthropic says Claude Duet is built to treat what it reads as information. But Anthropic also says no defense is perfect. This is one reason big actions need your approval.

A simple safety checklist

• - Connect only the apps you really need.
• - Check the permissions for each app.
• - Start with small, low-risk tasks.
• - Read every draft before you approve it.
• - Check each approval request before you confirm it.
• - Never type passwords into the chat.

What Claude Duet cannot do yet

Anthropic lists these limits for the research preview:

• - You cannot pick the model.
• - You cannot watch Claude Duet work in its browser, or take over the browser.
• - It checks your accounts at set times, so something urgent can arrive between checks.
• - It cannot see all your projects or the files on your computer.
• - It does not make phone calls or send text messages to other people.
• - With your approval, it can send emails from the accounts you connected.
• - Microsoft 365 is not available yet.
• - Some connectors, like Slack, work with limits.

Anthropic also says Claude Duet can make mistakes. It may misread a thread or get wrong what is urgent. So always review its drafts before you approve them.

Who should use Claude Duet?

Anthropic's own examples show it helping with business tasks like finding unpaid invoices, preparing payroll for review, and getting contracts ready to send. So it may suit people who:

• 1. Run a small business and handle email, invoices, and meetings
• 2. Want a daily summary of what needs attention
• 3. Want drafts, research briefs, or decks prepared for them to review

It may not be a fit if you are outside the US, or if you are on a Team or Enterprise plan. Those users cannot get access right now.

Claude Duet: pros and cons

Pros

• 1. It gives you a morning brief of what needs you.
• 2. It keeps working after you close the app.
• 3. It is included with Pro and Max at no extra cost during the preview.
• 4. It uses your existing memory, skills, and connected apps.
• 5. It is designed to ask before big actions.

Cons

• 1. It is US only during the preview.
• 2. You must join a waitlist and wait for an invitation.
• 3. It uses your normal usage limits, and background work counts.
• 4. It is not on Team or Enterprise plans yet.
• 5. It is a research preview, so features can change and mistakes can happen.

FAQ

What is Claude Duet?

It is a proactive AI agent from Anthropic. You message it, and it works on tasks in your connected apps. It tells you when it is done or needs a decision.

Is Claude Duet free?

There is no extra charge during the research preview. It is included with the Pro and Max plans. You still need one of those paid plans.

Is Claude Duet available in India?

Not right now. The research preview is only for Claude accounts in the US.

Does Claude Duet work on Android?

Yes. It is a standalone app for iOS and Android.

Can Claude Duet send emails?

Yes, but only with your approval. It can send emails from the accounts you connected.

Can Claude Duet make payments?

It can pay for purchases you approve with Link or Shop Pay. It is designed to ask before each purchase.

Can Claude Duet trade stocks or move money between accounts?

No. Anthropic says these actions are off limits, even with your approval.

Can I use Claude Duet on a computer?

Anthropic says you can open it on the web at claude.ai.

Why did I not get an invitation yet?

Invitations go out in waves. Also, check that the email on your waitlist form matches your Claude account and your phone's Apple or Google account.