Claude Duet: what it does, who gets it, setup
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Short answer
Claude Duet is Anthropic's proactive agent app, powered by Opus 5.5. It works on its own cloud computer with apps you connect and asks before sensitive steps. It is a research preview on a waitlist for Claude Pro, Max and Ultra subscribers in the US.
What Claude Duet is
Anthropic describes it as "a proactive agent that understands what needs your attention. It takes on tasks of all sizes, keeps working while you're away, and waits for your ok when it matters" (product page). Anthropic opened the research preview on October 21, 2026 (announcement).
- You tell it what you need, and "it works on its own computer in the cloud, using apps you connect. It messages you when it is done or needs a decision from you."
- You message it like a teammate, by text or voice. Your history stays in one thread, it remembers what you said before, and it returns finished work such as a doc, sheet or deck for your review.
- It uses your Claude account, including memory, skills and connectors. The Claude app waits for you to open a chat. Claude Duet comes to you with what needs your attention.
- It asks before sensitive operations like sending messages or paying. "Approvals, logins, and safety checks run in your own cloud computer, so sensitive details stay private."
- It runs on Opus 5.5.
It is a research preview, and Anthropic says it "may misread a thread or miscalibrate what's urgent" and can miss something that arrives between check-ins (product page). Anthropic published a safety, privacy and security update on October 23, 2026 (Claude Duet safety, privacy, and security).
Who gets Claude Duet
- Country: the US only, for now.
- Plans: Claude Pro, Max and Ultra.
- Access: a research preview with a waitlist.
- Team and Enterprise plans: "not included yet."
Source: the Claude Duet product page, checked 2026-11-10. The announcement says the same: "A research preview is available by waitlist today, starting with US Pro, Max, and Ultra subscribers." Anthropic's pages give no date for other countries.
How to get Claude Duet
- Join the waitlist on the Claude Duet product page with a US Pro, Max or Ultra account. Anthropic says it will email you "as soon as Claude Duet's ready for you."
- On your phone, use the standalone Claude Duet app for iOS or Android. For now it lives in its own app, separate from the main Claude app.
- On a computer, open it on the web at claude.ai.
- Connect the apps you want it to use. Your memory, skills and connected apps carry over from your Claude account, so there is little else to set up.
Sources: product page and announcement, checked 2026-11-10.
How Claude Duet uses your plan limits
"During the research preview, Claude Duet shares your plan's usage limits with the rest of Claude" (product page). Anthropic adds three details:
- Its background checks count toward those limits.
- Larger tasks, like building a financial model or a deck, need more model turns and background work.
- It checks your connected accounts every few hours, "because checking nonstop would use up your plan's limits much faster." You can tell it what you want to hear about and how often (announcement).
How Claude Duet relates to Claude Code
They are separate products. Anthropic's Duet pages do not describe a link between Claude Duet and Claude Code projects or installs. Here is everything the official pages say that ties the two together:
- Claude Duet draws on Anthropic's framework for trustworthy agents, "which also guides agents like Claude Code and Claude in Chrome."
- Its actions are approved by the auto mode classifier, "the same safeguard that protects Claude and Claude Code from taking steps you didn't ask for."
- Boris Cherny, who leads the Claude Code team, talks through his to-do list with Claude Duet on walks instead of saving the work for his desk.
- The tasks Anthropic lists for it include prototyping and building web apps, next to scheduling, dashboards and forecasts.
Source: the announcement, checked 2026-11-10. For model choice inside Claude Code, see Claude Code with Claude Fable 5.2: setup and cost.
Claude Duet hands back docs, sheets and decks. Inside the main Claude app, Anthropic launched Claude Whiteboards, Claude Sheets and Claude Data on November 10, 2026, on all paid plans (Claude Whiteboards, Sheets and Data: what they are, who gets them, setup).
Company news: on November 10, 2026, Anthropic launched the roadshow for its proposed initial public offering. The ticker, share counts and SEC filing status, each quoted from its source, are in Anthropic IPO: the filing facts for teams that use Claude.
FAQ
Does Claude Duet cost extra?
No separate price is published. For the research preview, Anthropic says Claude Duet "is included in Pro, Max, and Ultra plans and uses the same usage limits as the rest of Claude" (announcement).
Can I use Claude Duet outside the US?
Not yet. The preview starts with Pro, Max and Ultra subscribers in the US (product page). Anthropic's pages give no date for other countries.
Is Claude Duet on Team or Enterprise plans?
No. "Team and Enterprise plans are not included yet" (product page).
Which model runs Claude Duet?
Opus 5.5. The product page says "Powered by Opus 5.5" (product page).
Does my phone or laptop need to stay on?
No. Anthropic says Claude Duet "has a virtual machine with its own browser, so it doesn't require your laptop or phone to be on" (announcement).
Will Claude Duet send messages or pay for things without asking?
No. Before it sends a message, makes a payment, signs a document or deletes anything, it shows you what it is about to do and waits for your approval. Some actions stay off-limits even with approval, such as trading securities or moving money between accounts (announcement).
Sources
All checked 2026-11-10.
- Claude Duet product page (claude.com)
- Introducing Claude Duet (claude.com, October 21, 2026, safety update October 23, 2026)
- Claude Duet safety, privacy, and security (claude.com)
- Supported countries and regions (Anthropic)