[BUG] Built-in browser prompts per site even in "Skip all approvals" mode with "Allow all sites" set

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

The built-in browser in Claude Cowork (Claude Desktop) shows a per-site permission dialog ("Allow Claude to use the browser on <domain>?") on every newly visited website, despite both permission controls being set to their most permissive values.

This appears related to #91495, but adds a data point that issue does not cover: it reproduces in Skip all approvals mode, which the app's own UI says should not prompt per site.

Current settings

• Settings → Claude in Chrome → Site permissions → Default for all sites: "Allow all sites". Blocked sites list is empty. The section states: "These permissions apply to Claude in Chrome and the built-in browser in Claude Code Desktop and Cowork."
• Settings → Cowork → Preferred browser: Built-in browser
• Session permission mode: Skip all approvals

Why this is a contradiction

The "Allowed sites" dialog (Settings → Cowork → Allowed sites → Manage) states verbatim:

"Only Manual and Accept edits modes, and financial sites, prompt per site."

The session is in neither Manual nor Accept edits mode. The sites triggering the prompt are not financial sites. Per the app's own documented behavior, no prompt should appear.

Impact

There is no way to grant blanket browsing permission. The "Allow all sites" toggle has no observable effect on the built-in browser, and the Cowork "Allowed sites" list has no equivalent "allow everything" option — only individual domain entries. Any research task touching many domains requires a manual click per domain.

What Should Happen?

With "Allow all sites" set and the session in "Skip all approvals" mode, the built-in browser should use its Browser tools on any non-blocked site without showing a per-site permission prompt.

Suggested fixes, in order of preference:

1. Make the "Allow all sites" default actually apply to the built-in browser, as the help text states, or
2. Add an "Allow all sites" option to the Cowork Allowed sites dialog, or
3. Correct the help text in both places so it describes real behavior.

Error Messages/Logs

Dialog shown on each new domain:

  "Allow Claude to use the browser on <domain>?"
  [Allow once]  [Always allow for this website]  [Deny]

Settings in effect at the same time:
  Settings → Claude in Chrome → Site permissions
    Default for all sites: "Allow all sites"
    Blocked sites: (empty)
  Settings → Cowork
    Preferred browser: Built-in browser
  Session permission mode: Skip all approvals

Steps to Reproduce

1. Settings → Claude in Chrome → Site permissions → set "Default for all sites" to "Allow all sites"; leave the blocked list empty.
2. Settings → Cowork → set "Preferred browser" to "Built-in browser".
3. Settings → Cowork → Allowed sites → Manage → "Clear all", so no domain is pre-allowed. Click Done.
4. Restart the app.
5. In a Cowork session, set the permission mode to "Skip all approvals".
6. Ask Claude to open any website it has not visited before in the built-in browser.
7. → The per-site permission dialog appears.
8. Click "Always allow for this website", then ask Claude to visit a different new domain.
9. → The dialog appears again for the new domain. Only the specific domain approved in step 8 is suppressed.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

Claude for Mac (Desktop app) 1.44121.4 (0d57a2) — Cowork, not the Claude Code CLI

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Terminal.app (macOS)

Additional Information

Related: #91495 reports that the "Allow all sites" setting is ignored by the built-in browser in Claude Code Desktop. This report adds that the same behavior occurs in Cowork while in "Skip all approvals" mode, which the Allowed sites dialog explicitly says should not prompt per site.

Reported from the Claude Desktop app (Cowork), not the Claude Code CLI.