[FEATURE] Cowork: Mobile/remote access to projects running on local machine

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

Cowork projects run in a local VM on the user's desktop machine. This means the project — its files, conversation history, skills, and active sessions — is only accessible when sitting at that machine.

For users who build long-running, multi-session projects (writing systems, research workflows, ongoing editorial work), this creates a hard dependency on physical location. If the desktop is on and awake but the user is elsewhere — on a phone, a tablet, or a different computer — there is no way to check on a running session, review recent output, send a Dispatch message, or continue a conversation.

This is not about running the VM remotely. It is about providing a thin access layer (read, chat, Dispatch) to a project whose compute is already running on the local machine.

Proposed Solution

Provide mobile or remote access to Cowork projects when the local machine is on and awake. This could take several forms:

1. Mobile companion app or responsive web view: A lightweight interface (iOS/Android or browser-based) that connects to the local Cowork instance over an authenticated tunnel. Supports reading recent session output, sending chat messages, and interacting with Dispatch.

1. Claude.ai integration: Allow claude.ai (which is already accessible from any device) to connect to a running Cowork project on the user's local machine, providing continuity between desktop and mobile.

1. Remote desktop passthrough: At minimum, ensure Cowork's UI works well when accessed through standard remote desktop tools (RDP, VNC, etc.) — this is a lower-cost path that still enables remote access.

The key requirement: the local machine does the compute; the remote device provides the interface.

Alternative Solutions

Remote desktop (RDP) works as a blunt workaround but provides a poor mobile experience — the Cowork UI is not optimized for small screens or touch input, and maintaining an RDP session from a phone is cumbersome. There is no native mobile path today.

Priority

Low - Nice to have

Feature Category

Other

Use Case Example

1. I have a multi-project writing system running in Cowork on my desktop (Windows 11, always on).
2. I step away from my desk — commuting, traveling, or just in another room.
3. I want to check whether a long-running Cowork session has finished, review its output, or send a follow-up Dispatch message.
4. Currently, I cannot do this without returning to my desktop or setting up a remote desktop connection (which is clunky on mobile).
5. With mobile/remote access, I could open the Claude app on my phone, see my active Cowork projects, and interact with them as long as my desktop is online.

Additional Context

_No response_