On Monday I published my review of Claude Opus 5.5. In short: It's the best AI model I've used.
A bunch of you hit reply and asked the same question: "How do I actually set it up?"
Fair enough. Opus 5.5 is powerful, but the setup can feel a little daunting if you're not a programmer.
So here is a simple, step-by-step guide. No jargon. Just a clear path from "I have no idea where to start" to "Claude is doing my work for me." I've even included two prompts that let Claude do most of the setup for you!
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Step 1: Download the right app
First, stop using Claude on the web. To get Opus 5.5 to actually take action on your computer (opening files, clicking buttons, typing into apps) you need the Claude desktop app. You'll also need a paid Claude subscription, or it can't go off and do real work for you.
You can download it here.
One tip: If you have a Mac, use it for this. Everything tends to run a little smoother on macOS right now. Windows works too, but expect some rough edges.
If you want the best setup possible, dedicate an old laptop or a spare computer just to Claude. This is similar to giving a new employee their own computer. It's ideal, but totally optional. Your main computer works fine if you don't have a spare.
A few benefits of giving Claude its own machine:
- It stays on when you close your laptop, so Claude can work overnight.
- You give Claude access only to what it needs, so your private accounts and logins stay private.
- It never competes with you for the computer. On a shared machine, you and Claude might be fighting for the mouse and keyboard.
Most people won't do this, and that's fine. But if you want the best system possible, I recommend it.
Once you're in, you'll notice three modes: Chat, Cowork, and Code.
- Chat is the standard back-and-forth conversation you're used to. For the kind of work we're talking about today, you don't need it.
- Cowork is where the magic happens. It lets Claude use your computer for you. Start here.
- Code is like Cowork on steroids, designed for programming and complex technical tasks. It's powerful, but optional for most business use cases.
(Note: Some accounts show Chat and Cowork merged into a single interface. If that's what you see, just use the main conversation window.)
Step 2: Enable computer use
Before Claude can click, type, or take screenshots on your computer, you have to explicitly give it permission.
Go to Settings > General and toggle on "Enable computer use."
Anthropic has a good official walkthrough for this feature here.
Step 3: Use these two prompts
Make sure Opus 5.5 is the selected model.
Two prompts get you 90% of the way to a working setup. Copy and paste them into Cowork, word for word:
Help me set up computer use so you can work with my files and apps. Check what you can access and request the permissions you need, including taking screenshots of my screen, clicking, and typing. If there's a setting or approval I need to handle myself, walk me through it one step at a time. Then help me run a small test so we know it's working.
Once that's done, you can give it a task:
Here's the job: [describe it]. Do the whole thing yourself. Open the apps, click, type, and finish it. Only stop to ask me if you truly can't continue. Tell me when it's done.
Step 4: Use "ultracode" for your most important work
One last trick. If you have a task that's absolutely critical... something where you want the absolute best possible result... add the word "ultracode" to your prompt in Code.
This tells Claude to put in significantly more effort, which usually means a better outcome, though it will consume more of your usage plan. You can read more about how it works here.
A few final notes
- If you want to go deeper, especially into automating complex workflows or analyzing data, check out the Code guide.
- If you're new to Cowork, Anthropic's getting started guide is also worth a quick skim.
- A lot of you asked how to set up something even more powerful... the system I use, where you work with a team of Claudes over text. If enough of you want it, I'll write that guide next week. Reply and tell me!
That's it. Don't overthink it.
Download the app, enable computer use, paste in the first prompt, and let Claude walk you through the rest. It's easier than it looks.
If you get stuck or run into something weird, just hit reply and let me know what happened.
— Matt
P.S. If you don't want to deal with this, just use today's sponsor, AQ, and it handles most of this for you.
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