On October 22, 2024, Anthropic rolled out some exciting updates to its Claude models, the standout being the new "Computer Use" feature.

This new feature allows Claude to control your computer, performing actions like clicking, typing, and navigating your desktop—just like a human.

While many AI assistants try to do the same thing, Claude’s approach is interesting: it takes screenshots of your screen as it goes and uses them to figure out its next step.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through setting up and using Claude's Computer Use to automate tasks on your computer. Let’s dive in!

Pre-requisites

We’ll be using the Computer Use feature through Claude's API, but first, we’ll need a few things:

1. An Anthropic API key

2. Docker (installed and running)

3. Basic Terminal skills.

Get an Anthropic API Key

Getting your API key is easy! Just sign up (or login) on Anthropic's website, head over to your Console, and generate a new API key. Once created, save it somewhere safe; you won’t be able to view it again. And remember, keep it private!

For more details, you can follow this guide for step-by-step instructions.

Install and Run Docker

If you haven’t installed Docker yet, follow this guide to get started. Once Docker is installed, confirm it’s working by running this in your terminal:

docker --version

If you see a response like this:

Docker version 24.0.7, build afdd53b

Then you're all set!

Follow this guide if you're new to using terminals.

How to use the Computer Use API

Now, let's get down to the real business.

Step 1: Set Your API Key

First, set up your Anthropic API key by running this command in your terminal:

set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=$ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

Replace $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY with the key you saved earlier.

Step 2: Run the docker container

To start using the Computer Use app, fire up the Docker container by running:

docker run \
-e ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=$ANTHROPIC_API_KEY \
-v $HOME/.anthropic:/home/computeruse/.anthropic \
-p 5900:5900 \
-p 8501:8501 \
-p 6080:6080 \
-p 8080:8080 \
-it ghcr.io/anthropics/anthropic-quickstarts:computer-use-demo-latest

Once everything’s loaded, visit http://localhost:8000 (or whatever link appears) to access the app. Just type your commands in the prompt bar, and watch Claude work its magic!

Important Things to Note

• Claude’s Computer Use feature is still in beta – meaning it’s not perfect yet. So don’t expect it to ace every task.

• Use this feature in a controlled environment. Following this tutorial keeps it contained in such an environment.

• It’s a bit token-hungry, so keep an eye on usage if you’re running lots of tasks.

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