Anthropic released a feature that changes how you work with Claude Code. It is called Remote Control, and it does exactly what the name says: you can control a Claude Code session running on your laptop from your phone, tablet, or any browser.
Start a task at your desk. Walk into a meeting. Keep watching from your phone.
What is Claude Code Remote Control?
Claude Code Remote Control connects the Claude mobile app (iOS and Android) and the web interface at claude.ai/code to a Claude Code session running on your local machine.
The key point: Claude keeps running on your machine the entire time. Nothing moves to the cloud. Your filesystem, environment variables, and MCP servers stay local. The phone or browser is just a window into your local session.
This is different from Claude Code on the web, which runs in Anthropic’s cloud. Remote Control runs in your terminal, on your computer, with your files.
Requirements
Before you start, check these:
- Claude Code version 2.1.51 or later (
claude --version) - A claude.ai account — Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise (Remote Control launched as a Max-only research preview in February 2026 and is now available on all plans)
- API key authentication does NOT work — you must sign in with
/loginusing your claude.ai account - On Team and Enterprise: an admin must enable the Remote Control toggle in Claude Code admin settings first
- Run
claudein your project directory at least once (to accept workspace trust)
To update Claude Code:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
How to Start a Remote Control Session
There are three ways to enable Remote Control.
Option 1: Server Mode (recommended for long tasks)
cd /your/project
claude remote-control
This starts a dedicated server in your terminal. It waits for remote connections and shows a session URL. Press spacebar to display a QR code — scan it with the Claude mobile app to connect instantly.
Useful flags:
# Custom session name (shows in the session list)
claude remote-control --name "My API Refactor"
# Multiple concurrent sessions using git worktrees
claude remote-control --spawn worktree
# Limit concurrent sessions
claude remote-control --capacity 5
Option 2: Interactive Mode (run and control from both places)
claude --remote-control
# or the short form:
claude --rc "My Project"
This starts a normal Claude Code session that you can also control remotely. You can type in the terminal AND send messages from your phone at the same time. The conversation stays in sync.
Option 3: From an Existing Session
If you are already inside a Claude Code session and decide you want to continue on your phone, type:
/remote-control
/rc My Project
This generates a session URL and QR code without restarting Claude.
Connect from Another Device
Once a session is running, you have three ways to connect:
1. Open the session URL — displayed in the terminal after starting. Paste it into any browser to open it in claude.ai/code.
2. Scan the QR code — press spacebar when in server mode to show the QR code. Scan it with the Claude app on your phone.
3. Find it in the session list — open claude.ai/code or the Claude app and look for your session by name. Active Remote Control sessions show a green dot.
A Real Workflow
Here is a practical example. You start a large refactoring task before a meeting:
cd ~/projects/myapp
claude remote-control --name "Refactor auth module"
You give Claude a prompt in the terminal:
Refactor the authentication module to use JWT instead of sessions.
Update all the tests. Do not change the API interface.
Claude starts working. You walk into a 45-minute meeting. From your phone, you open the Claude app, find the “Refactor auth module” session, and watch the progress. When Claude asks a clarifying question, you answer from your phone. When you get back to your desk, you continue from the terminal — the full conversation history is right there.
Enable It for Every Session
If you want Remote Control on by default for every Claude Code session you start, run /config inside Claude Code and set Enable Remote Control for all sessions to true.
With this setting on, every claude command you run registers a remote session automatically.
Security: How It Works
You might wonder: is this safe? Your machine never opens inbound ports. Claude Code makes outbound HTTPS requests only. When you connect from another device, Anthropic’s API routes messages between the client and your local session over TLS. The connection uses short-lived credentials that expire independently.
Your code stays on your machine. Only the conversation text goes through Anthropic’s API — the same traffic that happens during any normal Claude Code session.
Remote Control vs Claude Code on the Web
Both use the claude.ai/code interface, but they work differently:
| Remote Control | Claude Code on the Web | |
|---|---|---|
| Claude runs on | Your machine | Anthropic cloud |
| Local filesystem | ✅ Full access | ❌ No |
| MCP servers | ✅ Your local ones | ❌ No |
| Setup needed | Run claude remote-control | None |
| Best for | Continuing local work remotely | Starting new tasks without local setup |
Use Remote Control when you are in the middle of local work and want to keep going from another device. Use Claude Code on the web when you want to start a task without any local setup.
Current Limitations
Remote Control is new. A few rough edges to know:
- One session per process outside of server mode. Use
--spawn worktreefor multiple concurrent sessions. - Terminal must stay open. If you close the terminal or put your laptop to sleep, the session pauses. It reconnects automatically when the machine comes back online.
- 10-minute network timeout. If your machine is online but cannot reach Anthropic’s API for 10 minutes, the session ends.
These limitations are expected to improve as the feature matures.
What’s Next?
Remote Control is part of a broader set of ways to work with Claude Code remotely. Related features worth exploring:
- Dispatch — message a task from the Claude app and your Desktop session picks it up automatically
- Channels — connect Claude Code to Telegram, Discord, or Slack to react to external events
- Scheduled tasks — run Claude Code sessions on a cron schedule