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Claude Dispatch not working: “Can't reach your desktop” on Windows, what to try and the alternatives

Guide · updated November 2026 · Protime

In short: first check whether you can have Dispatch at all. Anthropic now lists it as a limited beta on some Pro, Max and Ultra plans and not available to new users: if Dispatch is missing from your Cowork side panel, there is nothing to repair, and Anthropic suggests using Cowork in the cloud instead. If you do have it and the phone says “Asleep” or “Can't reach your desktop”, the usual causes are a sleeping computer, a closed desktop app, an outdated app or a different account. When all of that is fine and it still fails, many Windows users report a pairing stuck on Anthropic's side that only support can reset. Below: the checks in order, and the alternatives that do the same job.

Can you still use Dispatch?

Your situation	What it means
You used Dispatch before and it is in your side panel	You can keep using it for now: the checks below apply
Dispatch is not in the side panel, on desktop or phone	It is not offered to new users: use Cowork in the cloud or one of the alternatives
Dispatch shows on the phone but not on the Windows desktop	Pairing cannot complete (the phone ends with “Pairing failed”): treat it as not available
Team or Enterprise plan	The official requirements list Pro, Max and Ultra
Windows on ARM	The desktop app for Dispatch requires Windows x64

If your account already has the new single Claude experience, where chat and Cowork are merged, some screens look different from older guides. More on what changed in Claude Cowork on Windows.

Requirements to check

Requirement	Check
Claude Desktop	Latest version, installed, open and signed in, on macOS, Windows x64 or Linux
Claude mobile app	Latest version on iOS or Android
Account	The same Claude account on phone and desktop
Plan	Pro, Max or Ultra
Computer	Awake while Claude works: the setup offers a “keep computer awake” switch
Internet	Active on both devices

What to try, in order

Wake the computer and open the Claude desktop app. Dispatch works on your PC, so a sleeping PC or a closed app shows up as “Asleep”. Turn on the keep-awake option and check Windows' sleep settings.
Update both apps from claude.com/download and the app store, then restart them.
Check the account: same account and same organization on phone and desktop.
Check the network: a VPN, a corporate proxy or a firewall can block the desktop app's connection. Try without the VPN or on another network.
Sign out and back in on both devices, then open Dispatch again from the side panel.
If you reinstalled Claude on Windows, older sessions may stay on “Can't reach your computer”: users report that a reinstall gives the PC a new identity. Start a new task instead of reopening the old one.

When nothing works: a pairing stuck on the server

Many reports on Anthropic's public issue tracker describe the same pattern on Windows 11: the desktop app is open and online, Cowork itself works, but the phone stays on “Asleep” and “Can't reach your desktop”, messages are marked as read without an answer, or the desktop says it appears offline and will run when it reconnects. Reinstalls, sign-outs and toggling Dispatch do not help, because the stuck state is on Anthropic's side. What to do:

contact Anthropic support from the Help Center and ask for a reset of your Dispatch pairing, describing what you already tried;
include your Windows version, your app version and the exact messages you see;
meanwhile, use one of the alternatives below, since a fix can take days and Dispatch is a beta with no new sign-ups.

Alternatives that do the same job

Alternative	What you do from the phone	Note
Cowork in the cloud	Start tasks that keep going with the PC off	Anthropic's own suggestion; local files need the desktop app open
Claude Code Remote Control	Continue a Claude Code session running on the PC	For developers. Remote Control guide
Claude Code Channels	Message a running session through Telegram or Discord	Research preview, for developers
Codex remote (ChatGPT)	Start tasks on the PC and approve commands from the ChatGPT app	ChatGPT only; on Windows it takes over the screen. Codex on Windows guide
Remote MCP server (MCP DeskManager)	Use the PC from any Claude or ChatGPT chat, phone apps included	A connector instead of a pairing; acts when you ask

Where MCP DeskManager fits

DeskManager is our product. It does not pair the phone with the desktop app: it runs on the Windows PC as a remote MCP server and you add its address as a connector to your Claude account, so every chat, including the Claude phone app and claude.ai, can use the PC's terminal, files, your real Chrome and Windows programs. There is no Dispatch pairing to get stuck, and no desktop app to keep in the foreground; the PC must simply be on. It also works in ChatGPT. Irreversible actions need your confirmation. Every way to reach a PC from the phone is compared in control your PC from your phone with AI.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Claude Dispatch say “Can't reach your desktop”?

Usually because the computer is asleep, the Claude desktop app is closed or outdated, or the phone and desktop use different accounts. If everything is fine and it persists on Windows, the pairing may be stuck on Anthropic's side, and only support can reset it.

Why don't I see Dispatch in Claude?

Dispatch is a limited beta and is not available to new users. Anthropic suggests using Cowork in the cloud instead.

Does Dispatch work on Windows?

Yes, on Windows x64 with the latest Claude desktop app open and the computer awake, for users who already have Dispatch.

Can I reset Dispatch myself?

You can update the apps, sign out and back in, and toggle Dispatch, which fixes local problems. A pairing stuck on the server can only be reset by Anthropic support.

What can I use instead of Dispatch?

Cowork in the cloud, Claude Code Remote Control or Channels for developers, Codex remote with ChatGPT, or a remote MCP server added as a connector, which works from any Claude or ChatGPT chat.