One Account, Every Surface
Claude runs in three places: a web browser, a desktop app, and a mobile app. They're not three products — they're three windows into the same account. A conversation started on your phone shows up on your laptop within seconds.
The Core Concept
Think of Claude like email. You read it on your phone in the morning, reply from your laptop at the office, check a thread in a browser on a borrowed machine. Same inbox everywhere. Claude works the same way.
- Sign in with the same email on every device.
- Conversations sync automatically — no export, no transfer.
- Projects are available everywhere.
- On a Team plan, your shared workspace appears on every surface your teammates use.
Where Each Surface Shines
| Surface | Best For | Key Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Web (claude.ai) | Quick access, shared or temporary computers | No install; works in any browser |
| Desktop app | Deep work at your desk | Always running; native shortcuts; instant switching |
| Mobile app | On the go, between meetings, on-site | Voice, photos, share-sheet from any other app |
None is better in an absolute sense. The right surface depends on where you are.
A Real Workflow Across All Three
7:00 AM — phone, in the car. You dictate: "I need a scope-clarification letter for the Riverside project. The client is claiming our work includes upgrades that were never in the contract. Remind me of the original contract language when I'm back at my desk." Claude stores the context.
9:00 AM — desktop. Same conversation. You paste in the contract section and ask: "Now write the clarification letter based on this language." Draft in hand. You edit and send.
12:30 PM — phone, at lunch. A colleague asks about the letter. You open Claude, find the conversation, read the final draft aloud.
You didn't transfer anything. The conversation was already there, on whichever device you picked up.
When the App Isn't an Option
If someone prefers not to install anything, claude.ai in a browser is functionally equivalent for core tasks. They lose native shortcuts and background persistence — not a dealbreaker for occasional use or shared machines.
Try This Now (1 min)
- Open a conversation on one device.
- Pick up a different device, open Claude, and look for that conversation.
- Add one message from the new device. Check the first device — it's there.
That's the synchronization model. Trust it.
What Happens Next
Foundations are set. The next feature changes how useful Claude is at work more than any other: Projects. Continue to Lesson 06.