Is there a Claude Code mobile app?
No, not a separate one. Claude Code on mobile lives inside the regular Claude app for iPhone, iPad and Android, in a tab called Code. Anthropic describes the app as a client for Claude Code sessions, not a place where code runs. Your phone sends instructions and shows you what Claude is doing. The actual work happens either in the cloud or on your own computer.
That sounds like a limitation, but it is the right design. A phone is a terrible place to run a codebase and a great place to answer one question, approve one plan, or kick off one task while you are away from your desk. That is what the mobile app is built for.
How to set up Claude Code on your phone
- Install the Claude app from the App Store or Google Play. On an iPad, install the same iOS app. Shortcut: type /mobile in a Claude Code session and it shows a QR code that opens the right app store for your phone. /ios and /android do the same thing.
- Sign in with the same claude.ai account and organization you use for Claude Code on your computer. Cloud sessions and Remote Control need a claude.ai account, so they do not work if you use Claude Code with a Console API key or through a provider like Amazon Bedrock.
- Tap Code in the app's navigation to see your sessions. You can also open claude.ai/code/new on your phone to start a new session.
If you do not see the Code tab, your plan or organization may not include it. Cloud sessions are available on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. Remote Control is on for Pro and Max, and on Team and Enterprise an admin has to turn it on first.
Four ways to work from your phone, and which one to pick
The app looks the same whichever you use. What changes is where the work actually happens.
Claude Code from the Claude mobile app, from Anthropic's docs
| Option | Where Claude runs | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud sessions | Anthropic's cloud by default | Your project is on GitHub and the task should keep going after you put the phone away |
| Projects | Mostly cloud sessions, coordinated in one conversation | You have a stream of related tasks, not one, and want to see which finished or need you |
| Remote Control | A Claude Code session on your own computer | The work needs your local files, tools or MCP servers |
| Dispatch | The desktop app on your computer | You want to message a task and let Dispatch decide how to run it (Pro or Max only) |
The one rule that decides it: will your computer be on? If not, use cloud sessions or a project, because they run in the cloud and continue with your laptop closed. Remote Control and Dispatch both drive your own machine, so it has to stay on with Claude Code or the desktop app running. If your machine sleeps during a Remote Control session, Claude Code reconnects when it wakes up.
My recommendation for most members: start with Remote Control. You set up your project in the desktop app the way you like it, with your files, your CLAUDE.md and your connected tools, and the phone just becomes a window into that session. Cloud sessions are the better pick once your work lives on GitHub and you want tasks that do not depend on your laptop at all.
Cloud sessions and projects from your phone
From the Code tab, pick a repository and branch, describe the task, and send it. The session runs in the cloud, so you can close the app and come back later. Sessions follow you across devices: a task you start on your laptop is there to review on your phone, and one you start on your phone is waiting when you get back to your desk.
Open a session to check progress, answer Claude's questions, or point it in a new direction. You can also tell Claude to watch a pull request and fix CI failures or review comments as they come in. Setup, including connecting GitHub, is covered in Claude Code on the web.
Projects are newer. A project is one ongoing conversation where you drop in tasks as they come up, and Claude starts a separate thread for each one and reports back. It is in public beta on Pro and Max, rolling out gradually, and not on Team or Enterprise yet. If you do not see Projects in the sidebar, it has not reached your account.
Remote Control: drive your desktop session from your phone
Remote Control connects the Claude app to a Claude Code session running on your computer. Code and files stay on your machine. In the desktop app, type /remote-control in a session that is already open. Then open the Claude app, tap Code, and pick the session from the list. The full walkthrough is in Claude Code Remote Control.
- Photos you attach from the phone reach your local session. Claude sees them directly and Claude Code also saves each one under ~/.claude/uploads/, so Claude can use the image in files it creates.
- Other files you attach are downloaded to your machine and handed to Claude as file references.
- Push notifications: Claude can ping your phone, usually when a long task finishes or it needs a decision from you. You can also ask in your prompt, for example "notify me when the tests finish".
What does not work from your phone
- Some commands only work at the computer. /plugin and /resume are two examples. Install plugins and resume old sessions on the desktop, then pick the session up on your phone.
- Bypass permissions is not available from the app. Cloud sessions offer Accept edits, Plan and Auto. Remote Control sessions offer Manual, Accept edits, Plan and Auto. Claude Code permissions explained covers what each mode lets Claude do.
- Dispatch needs a Pro or Max plan. It is not available on Team or Enterprise.
- Remote Control and Dispatch stop when your computer does. If the desktop app is closed or the machine is off, use a cloud session instead.
My take: none of these are a problem once you treat the phone as the place to steer and approve, not the place to set things up. Do your setup at the desk, then let the phone handle the check-ins. If you want Claude to run on a schedule without you checking in at all, Claude Code scheduled tasks is the better tool.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a Claude Code app for iPhone or Android?
Not a separate one. Claude Code is the Code tab inside the regular Claude app for iOS and Android. The same iOS app works on iPad.
Can I run code on my phone with Claude Code?
No. The mobile app is a client. Code runs either in the cloud, through cloud sessions and projects, or on your own computer, through Remote Control and Dispatch.
Does Claude Code on mobile work if my computer is off?
Cloud sessions and projects do, because they run in the cloud. Remote Control and Dispatch drive your own machine, so it needs to stay on with Claude Code or the desktop app running.
Can I use Claude Code on mobile with an API key?
Not for cloud sessions or Remote Control. Both need a claude.ai account, so they are not reachable with an Anthropic Console API key or a provider like Amazon Bedrock.
How do I get notified on my phone when Claude Code finishes?
Turn on mobile push notifications for Remote Control. Claude usually sends one when a long task finishes or it needs a decision, and you can ask for one in your prompt, such as "notify me when the tests finish".
Last reviewed by David Iya on October 20, 2026
