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Hey!

Last week, I watched someone enable computer use in Claude desktop.

They clicked "yes" without reading.

Three minutes later, Claude was controlling their screen, opening apps, taking screenshots of everything visible.

They had no idea what they just gave access to.

Here's what actually happens. And the one risk that matters.

But first, let's take a quick look at this week's news👇

😏 Snapchat trolls Meta with an April Fools’ “Reals” feature, highlighting ongoing rivalry between the platforms.

⚠️ Anthropic removes thousands of GitHub repositories after accidentally exposing parts of its AI codebase.

📺 YouTube brings AI chatbot to smart TVs, letting users ask questions about videos in real-time using voice.

🤖 OpenAI rolls out new coding integrations and tools as competition with Anthropic and Google intensifies.

🎮 TikTok tests in-app DM games to boost engagement, adding interactive features inside chats.

🤖 AI tools like ChatGPT are powerful productivity drivers, but reliability issues remain a major barrier to enterprise adoption.

There are two completely different things people call "giving Claude access."

1/ File Access (Low Risk)

You choose ONE folder. Claude can read and write files only in that folder. Everything runs inside an isolated environment on your computer.

Contained. Reversible. Well understood.

2/ Computer Use (Higher Risk)

Claude controls your actual desktop, your mouse, keyboard, and screen. It takes screenshots, clicks through interfaces, opens applications, and navigates browser windows.

This is happening on your live device.

Anthropic announced this recently. Currently macOS only. Pro and Max subscribers only.

Prompt injection is the biggest threat. It happens when Claude encounters content with hidden instructions designed to hijack what it does next.

In January 2026, security researchers created a Word document with hidden instructions. Someone opened it through Claude. Claude followed the embedded instructions and started uploading sensitive files to the researcher's server.

Anthropic has safeguards, but they openly admit the guardrails are not absolute.

File access in dedicated folder → YES for most people

Create a folder like "Claude-Workspace" on your desktop. Only put files there Claude needs to see.

Don’t point it at your entire Documents folder, Downloads, or home directory.

Keep the folder clean. Keep it contained.

Computer use for internal tools → YES, this is where it shines

If you use proprietary dashboards, internal platforms, or desktop software that doesn't have API connectors, computer use is the only way Claude can help.

Start with specific, contained tasks. Build trust.

Computer use with access to sensitive apps → NO

Banking apps, healthcare portals, legal platforms, anything involving credentials or regulated data should be explicitly blocked.

Anthropic blocks investment platforms and crypto wallets by default. But you should manually review which apps you allow.

Computer use for long autonomous tasks while you're away → Proceed carefully

If Claude encounters unexpected content or makes a wrong decision mid-task, you're not there to catch it.

Start with lower-stakes workflows. Expand as you build confidence.

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File Access:

Computer Use:

Important: Your computer must stay awake. Claude desktop app must remain open. Tasks stop if app closes.

Don't give Claude access to your entire hard drive.

Don't enable computer use and walk away immediately without building trust first.

Don't assume Cowork follows same data policies as Claude.ai chat. Stores locally. Not in audit logs. Not suitable for regulated workloads.

Don't close the app during tasks. Task stops.

Don't connect sensitive apps through Claude in Chrome without reviewing which sites Claude can access.

File access in a dedicated folder is low-risk and works for most people.

Computer use is genuinely powerful, especially for tools without integrations, but it runs on your live device and the risks are real.

Prompt injection isn't theoretical. January 2026 proved it.

Start narrow. Build trust. Expand carefully. And never point Claude at anything you wouldn't want it to read.

So this week, create your Claude-Workspace folder, drop in one project, and run your first task.

That single step is how you go from reading about AI to actually using it🙌

All the best,

René