Claude AI adds desktop apps and dictation mode – here's how to use them

Anthropic is expanding its Claude AI beyond the web. On Thursday, the company unveiled new desktop applications for its popular chatbot. Designed for Windows and MacOS, the new apps work similarly to the website and are available for free users and paid subscribers.

To grab the apps, head to the Claude for Desktop site, where you'll find versions for Windows, Windows on ARM, and MacOS. For now, the apps are tagged with a beta label, which may indicate that Anthropic is still tweaking them. After downloading one of the apps, you'll be prompted to sign in using a Google account or an email link. From there, use Claude just as you would use the website.

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Ask a question. Submit a request. Start a conversation. You can ask Claude to analyze or summarize different types of files that you upload, including images, Microsoft Office files, PDFs, text files, HTML files, and code files.

You're able to access your chat history to view and resume a previous conversation. The Windows and Mac apps sync with the website and mobile apps, so you'll find the same conversation history across the board. Plus, you can view your profile settings and account and billing details.

Claude is also sporting a new dictation mode. Accessible only from the Claude AI mobile apps for iOS/iPadOS and Android, the dictation feature lets you speak your request instead of typing it. This is always a handy option, especially if you don't like having to tap out lengthy prompts on a mobile device. Using dictation mode, you can carry on a real-time conversation with Claude and even respond to questions from the AI.

To try dictation, just tap the microphone icon, speak, and then tap the X button to stop. Claude displays its response on the screen. To continue the conversation, just tap the microphone icon again and dictate another question or request.

Looking to challenge other AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini, Anthropic has been on a tear trying to fine-tune and expand Claude.

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The company recently released a new model of Claude 3.5 Sonnet. Currently in beta mode for developers to use via an API, the new version can interact with a computer by looking at the screen, moving the cursor, clicking buttons, and entering text via a virtual keyboard.

In August, Anthropic kicked off a feature known as Artifacts. Available to free and paid users on the website, the mobile apps, and the new desktop apps, Artifacts can help you create a website, a page of code, a visual presentation, or another project by displaying the results in real time right next to your conversation.