Claude Duet enters research preview: ongoing work, with key actions awaiting approval

On October 21, 2026, Anthropic introduced the Claude Duet research preview. This proactive assistant accepts text or voice messages, identifies items needing attention in connected apps, continues assigned work and returns with results or questions that need the user’s decision.

The preview starts with US Pro and Max users who receive a waitlist invitation. It has standalone mobile apps and a web entry point, and uses the Claude account's memory, skills and connected apps. Background work also counts toward the existing plan's usage limits; ongoing work does not mean unlimited usage.

People juggling client email and calendars often face scattered information: one message needs a reply while another changes the arrangement. Duet can organize these threads and prepare drafts so the user can focus on decisions. The official product page emphasizes this ongoing collaboration.

For example, you could ask it to find today's unanswered project emails, list the questions in each and draft replies. This is a suggested task. Reading and organizing have different consequences from sending. When an approval request appears, check the recipient, text and attachments. The product is designed to wait for approval before sending messages, paying, signing or deleting, but it can still misunderstand material. Urgent information can also arrive between its checks.

The getting-started guide requires a US Claude account, a Pro or Max plan and an invitation. Team and Enterprise are not included in this preview. Readers without access can first learn how the workflow operates.

1. On the Claude Duet page, select Join the waitlist and provide the email used for your Claude account, your plan and phone type. Wait for an invitation; the waitlist does not guarantee an access date.
2. Follow the invitation's mobile setup instructions. Your phone's Apple or Google account must be linked to the waitlist email, and you then sign in with your existing Claude account. This email example assumes Gmail: review or establish its connection in Claude settings. Duet inherits existing connections, which users initiate themselves. Microsoft 365 is currently unsupported.
3. Start small: “Look through today's emails about Project A in my connected Gmail, list questions I need to answer and draft replies for my approval.” Replace Project A with an identifiable project. The expected output is a list and drafts, rather than commitments sent automatically.
4. Use Tasks to see progress and requests for information. Check any proposed send action before approving it; ask for changes when facts are unclear. Duet reports progress, but users judge and mark final completion.

If a result does not provide the original email or file needed to check it, ask for that evidence before deciding. A small first task helps establish a review habit.