Get Started with Claude Duet
What Claude Duet does, who can access the preview, how usage works and what to hand off first.
What Is Claude Duet?
The Short Answer
Claude Duet is Anthropic’s proactive agent for connected work. Rather than waiting for a new chat, it can prepare briefs and continue tasks in its own cloud computer.
The research preview began on October 21, 2026. Access is limited to invited US Pro and Max subscribers. Launch announcement ↗
Think in terms of a handoff: give it an outcome, the sources it may use and a boundary for what needs approval. A useful first task is small enough to inspect in one sitting.
Check Your Access First
- Use a Claude account in the United States on Pro or Max.
- Join the official waitlist with the same email as your Claude account.
- Wait for the invitation and follow its iOS or Android setup instructions. Web access is also available.
- During the preview, Team and Enterprise accounts are excluded. A paid plan alone does not guarantee admission.
From a Message to Reviewed Work
This is a conceptual workflow, not an interface screenshot. Your existing Claude memory, skills and connected apps form Duet’s starting context. Its task and Make views help separate ongoing work from finished files. Read the product walkthrough ↗
A First Request Worth Trying
This is an example instruction written by OpenDuet. It is not a claim that a test run completed successfully.
What Does It Cost?
Duet is included in eligible Pro and Max subscriptions during the research preview. Pro costs $20/month on monthly billing; Max starts at $100/month. Annual Pro billing is a different commitment and should not be confused with the monthly price. Current Claude pricing ↗
Background check-ins consume the same plan allowance. Define a useful briefing cadence and inspect the value of recurring tasks before expanding them. Usage-limit details ↗
The Price of Getting Started
USD / month · Personal-plan entry points · Oct 22, 2026
Know the Preview’s Boundaries
Duet is an early product. It can misread context and miss something that arrives between checks. Important preview limits include:
- The model is Opus 5.5; there is no model picker.
- You cannot watch or take over its cloud browser.
- Microsoft 365 is not yet available in Duet; some connectors have limits.
- It cannot make phone calls or send SMS to other people.
- Trading securities and moving money between accounts remain off-limits.
Begin with preparation rather than execution. Ask for cited drafts, compare them with the source, and expand the scope only after you understand the approval flow.
Keep the Decision in Your Hands
Anthropic describes approval checks before messages, purchases, signatures and deletions. That design is a control mechanism, not a guarantee that an agent cannot make an error. Safety and operating model ↗
Link and Shop Pay are separate payment connections. A purchase should be reviewed for the merchant, item and amount; connecting a wallet is not blanket approval to spend. Link guidance ↗ · Shop Pay guidance ↗
For a useful first-week review, keep a simple list of completed drafts, corrections, missing context and decisions that reached you. The scenario lab explains how to structure that evaluation.
Common Questions
What is Claude Duet?
Claude Duet is Anthropic’s proactive personal agent. It runs work in a cloud computer, checks connected apps and returns work or asks for input. Its research preview opened on October 21, 2026. Official announcement ↗
Can I use Claude Duet right now?
The preview is available by invitation to US Claude Pro and Max users. Joining the waitlist does not guarantee immediate access. Team and Enterprise are not included yet. Check eligibility ↗
Is Claude Duet free?
It is included in eligible Pro and Max plans during the preview. Claude Pro is $20/month when billed monthly; background activity shares your plan’s limits. Pricing ↗ · Usage details ↗
Is there one best personal agent for everyone?
Our editorial view is to choose by app access, approvals, budget and setup responsibility. A cheap plan is not useful if it cannot reach your work. See the personal agent guide.
Are the use cases real customer results?
Our walkthroughs are simulated scenarios, clearly marked as illustrative. They describe an evaluation task and expected deliverable, not a measured product result or customer testimonial.
Sources and Editorial Notes
Researched by OpenDuet Editorial. Product facts are drawn from the official pages below; recommendations are editorial inferences. We have not run a controlled cross-product benchmark.
- Claude Duet: Getting Started ↗Anthropic help · Access, setup, limits and controls. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Introducing Claude Duet ↗Anthropic · October 21, 2026 · Launch and operating model. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Claude Duet Product Overview ↗Anthropic · Research-preview scope and waitlist. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Claude Plans and Pricing ↗Anthropic · Monthly and annual billing; tax excluded. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Link by Stripe in Claude Duet ↗Anthropic · Purchase approvals and payment connection. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Shop Pay in Claude Duet ↗Anthropic · Purchase approvals and payment connection. Checked October 22, 2026.