Continue Your Claude Work From PC to Phone (Desktop Handoff)

There are times you set Claude on a task and have to leave your desk. You start a research run or hand off a long organizing job and need to head out, but you can't leave your office PC because you're wondering "is it done? is it going okay?" Claude can continue the same task across your PC, the desktop app, and your phone. With a single command word, without typing a line of code.

Definition (what it is)

It's a feature that starts a task on one device and continues it on another. You move a task started in the terminal (the black command window) to the desktop app, or take a desktop app task to your phone to see its progress.

Simply put, your work isn't tied to a specific computer — think of it as following you wherever you are. At the office you use the PC, when you're out you use your phone, picking it up to fit the situation.

How to use it (step by step)

There are three commands. You type all of them with a slash (/) in the chat box.

1. When you want to continue work you were doing in the terminal in the desktop app.

/desktop

(You can also type the alias /app. An alias is a different name that calls the same command.)

1. When you want to install the phone app and take the work to your phone.

/mobile

Type this and a QR code appears. Scan that QR code with your phone camera and it leads to the mobile app installation. (Aliases are /ios, /android.)

1. When you want to control this session (the conversation you're working on) right now from another device.

/remote-control

This is a bit advanced, as it's a feature for leaving work running on one device and remote-controlling it from another. At first, knowing just the two — /desktop and /mobile — is enough.

Common pitfalls

The /desktop command appears in the list only on macOS and Windows, and only when you're logged in with a Claude subscription account. If you type the command and don't see it, first check whether you're logged in or whether you have a subscription.

Real-world example

You're in a situation where you've set Claude on a long organizing job on your office PC and have to head out. Before leaving, you typed /mobile and used the QR code that appeared to install the Claude app on your phone. While on the move, you opened your phone to check how far the work had progressed, and gave further instructions for the parts that needed it right from the phone. You're no longer tied to the office.

Taking it further

• For long-running tasks, build the habit of starting them on the PC and lightly checking progress on your phone when you go out — you'll use your time well.
• If you use both a home and an office PC, you can hand off to the desktop app and keep working on the same task anywhere.
• Once it's in your hands, splitting roles — big tasks on the PC, checking and short instructions on the phone — is convenient.

Summary

Claude work isn't tied to one device. Continue it in the desktop app with /desktop, and install the phone app with /mobile to check it even while on the move. The flow of leaving big tasks running on the PC and checking from your phone while out fits solo business owners especially well.

Based on: Claude Code v2.1.154 (2026.05)