Troubleshooting Guide
Quick solutions to common Claude Cowork issues
Quick System Check
Hardware Requirements
Software Requirements
Installation & Setup
Claude Cowork option not appearing in Claude Desktop
Symptoms
Solutions
Verify your subscription
Claude Cowork requires Claude Pro ($20/month) or Claude Max ($100/month) subscription. Check your subscription status at claude.ai/settings.
Update Claude Desktop
Ensure you have the latest version of Claude Desktop. Go to Claude Desktop > Check for Updates, or download the latest version from anthropic.com.
Check system requirements
Claude Cowork requires: Mac with Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4), macOS Sonoma or later, at least 8GB RAM.
Restart Claude Desktop
Fully quit Claude Desktop (Cmd+Q) and relaunch it. Sometimes features need a restart to appear.
Sandbox environment failing to initialize
Symptoms
Solutions
Check macOS version
The sandbox requires macOS Sonoma (14.0) or later. Check your version in Apple Menu > About This Mac.
Ensure sufficient disk space
The sandbox needs at least 10GB of free disk space. Check storage in System Settings > General > Storage.
Restart your Mac
Sometimes virtualization services need a full system restart to function properly.
Reset sandbox
In Claude Desktop settings, look for an option to reset or reinitialize the sandbox environment.
Intel Mac compatibility
Symptoms
Solutions
Verify your Mac type
Click Apple Menu > About This Mac. If it shows "Intel" processor, Claude Cowork is not currently supported on your Mac.
Current limitation
Claude Cowork requires Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, or M4 chips) due to the virtualization technology used. Intel Macs are not supported at this time.
Workaround
You can still use regular Claude chat and Claude Projects. Consider upgrading to an Apple Silicon Mac for Cowork access.
File Access Issues
Claude cannot access my files
Symptoms
Solutions
Grant folder permissions
When Claude asks to access a folder, click "Allow" in the permission dialog. You may need to grant access for each folder individually.
Check System Settings
Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Files and Folders. Ensure Claude Desktop has permission for the folders you want to use.
Use full file paths
Instead of relative paths like "~/Documents", try full paths like "/Users/yourname/Documents/filename.txt".
Re-grant permissions
If permissions seem stuck, try removing Claude Desktop from Files and Folders permissions and re-adding it.
Files not being saved correctly
Symptoms
Solutions
Specify exact save location
Always specify the full path where you want files saved: "Save to /Users/yourname/Desktop/output.xlsx"
Check write permissions
Ensure the destination folder allows write access. Try saving to your Desktop first as a test.
Request confirmation
Add to your prompt: "Confirm the file was saved successfully and show me the full path."
Cannot access external drives
Symptoms
Solutions
Mount the drive first
Ensure the external drive is properly mounted and visible in Finder before asking Claude to access it.
Use volume path
For external drives, use the path format: /Volumes/DriveName/folder/file.txt
Grant additional permissions
External drives may require additional permission grants. Look for permission prompts when first accessing.
Integration Problems
Google Drive not connecting
Symptoms
Solutions
Re-authorize Google account
Disconnect and reconnect your Google account in Claude Cowork settings. Sometimes OAuth tokens expire.
Check Google account permissions
Visit myaccount.google.com > Security > Third-party apps. Ensure Claude has the necessary permissions.
Clear browser cookies
If using browser-based auth, clear cookies for accounts.google.com and try again.
Try incognito window
If authentication keeps failing, try the OAuth flow in an incognito/private browser window.
Gmail integration issues
Symptoms
Solutions
Check Gmail settings
Ensure IMAP is enabled in Gmail: Settings > See all settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP > Enable IMAP.
Verify permissions
Gmail integration needs specific scopes. Re-authorize to ensure all necessary permissions are granted.
Use draft mode first
For safety, start with draft-only mode. This ensures emails are created as drafts for your review before sending.
GitHub repository access failing
Symptoms
Solutions
Check repository visibility
For private repos, ensure you've granted Claude access during GitHub authorization.
Re-authorize GitHub
Disconnect and reconnect GitHub in settings. Select the specific repositories you want Claude to access.
Verify repo URL
Ensure you're using the correct repository URL format: owner/repo-name
Performance Issues
Claude Cowork running slowly
Symptoms
Solutions
Close unnecessary applications
The sandbox shares system resources. Close heavy applications like video editing software to free up resources.
Check available RAM
Open Activity Monitor and check memory pressure. If it's in the red, close some apps or restart your Mac.
Reduce task complexity
Break large tasks into smaller steps. Instead of processing 1000 files at once, try batches of 100.
Check internet connection
Claude Cowork needs a stable internet connection. Test your connection and try again if it was unstable.
High CPU or memory usage
Symptoms
Solutions
This is normal for intensive tasks
Complex tasks like processing many files or creating documents can use significant resources temporarily.
Wait for task completion
Resource usage should return to normal after the task completes. Let it finish rather than interrupting.
Restart if stuck
If high usage continues after task completion, restart Claude Desktop to reset the sandbox.
Tasks timing out
Symptoms
Solutions
Break into smaller tasks
Very large operations may time out. Split them: "First, process files A-M. Then I'll ask you to process N-Z."
Check file sizes
Very large files (100MB+) may cause timeouts. Consider processing them in parts or using different tools.
Simplify the request
Complex multi-step requests may time out. Try breaking them into sequential simpler requests.
Output Quality
Generated documents have formatting issues
Symptoms
Solutions
Be specific about formatting
Include explicit formatting instructions: "Use Arial 12pt font, single spacing, 1-inch margins."
Request template-based output
Provide a template file: "Format the new document to match the style in template.docx"
Use Office applications
For best results with Office formats, ensure Microsoft Office or compatible apps are installed on your Mac.
Excel formulas not working
Symptoms
Solutions
Specify cell references clearly
Be explicit about cell references: "Put the SUM formula in cell B10 that adds B2:B9"
Request formula verification
Add to your prompt: "After creating the spreadsheet, verify that all formulas calculate correctly."
Open in Excel to verify
Some formulas may need Excel to fully evaluate. Open the file in Excel/Numbers to verify calculations.
Results not matching expectations
Symptoms
Solutions
Provide clearer instructions
Add more context and specific requirements. Show examples of what you want the output to look like.
Use iterative refinement
Review the output and provide feedback: "Good start, but please also add X and change Y to be more detailed."
Check source files
If extracting from files, verify the source files contain the expected information in a readable format.
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