Claude just rolled out a major update that transforms the AI from a passive conversation tool into an intelligent assistant that can take action on its own. The release spans memory persistence, cross-device control, code development, and more—dramatically boosting practical utility. Whether you're on the free tier or a paid plan, you'll notice the difference.
Memory Now Free for All Users & Chart Generation Without Extra Tools
Claude's memory feature, previously limited to paid users, is now available to every free account. This means Claude will remember your personal preferences, project context, and other details across different conversations without you having to repeat yourself each time. At the same time, Claude now supports generating charts and flowcharts directly inside the chat window. Whether it's a bar chart for data analysis or an architecture diagram for project development, just describe what you need in the dialog and Claude will render the visual result immediately—no need to switch to Excel or Draw.io.
Control Your Desktop from Your Phone: Cowork Mode for the Office
The most eye-catching feature in this update lets you control Claude on your desktop using your phone. When you're rushing to a meeting, just send a command from your phone and Claude will operate your browser, open apps, and handle files on your computer. For example, you can remotely ask Claude to export a slide deck as a PDF and automatically attach it to a meeting invite. This feature requires the Claude desktop app to be installed with Cowork mode enabled, and your computer must stay powered on. Claude will ask for your permission each time it accesses a new app, ensuring security.
Excel & PowerPoint Plugin Integration & Claude Code with Loop Scheduling
The Claude for Excel and Claude for PowerPoint Office plugins have been upgraded to share full conversation history. After having Claude analyze sales data in Excel, you can switch to PowerPoint and Claude will generate slides directly based on that analysis—no need to re-explain the context. For developers, Claude Code now supports /voice voice commands and /loop loop scheduling. The voice mode works on a "press to talk, release to send" interaction, supporting 20 languages including Chinese. The loop scheduling feature allows Claude Code to run monitoring or testing tasks on a timer in the background, achieving true automation.
