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What is Claude Duet, and can you use it in the UK?

Last checked: 24 October 2026 · The AI Till, UK

What is Claude Duet?

Claude Duet is an agent: rather than waiting for you to type a question, it comes to you with what needs your attention and then gets on with tasks you hand it. You message it the way you would message a person, typed or by voice, in one ongoing thread. It runs on its own computer in the cloud, with its own browser, so it keeps working after you close the app or switch your phone off.

It is a separate app on iPhone and Android, and it also runs on claude.ai. It uses Claude Opus 5.5, and during the preview you can't choose a different model.

What can Claude Duet actually do?

Anthropic's launch post and Help Center describe four main things:

• A morning brief. Each morning it looks across your email and calendar, picks out what matters most and can start the first steps, such as drafting replies for you to check.
• Watching your apps. It checks your connected accounts every few hours and messages you only when something needs you. Anthropic says it doesn't check nonstop because that would use up your plan's limits much faster.
• Bigger jobs. You describe a task and it works out which apps to use. Results come back as files, such as a research brief, a financial forecast, a slide deck or a dashboard.
• Buying things you approve. It can pay through Link, Stripe's digital wallet, or Shop Pay, using a one-time card for each purchase, and it asks you first every time.

It can use the 6,000 plus connectors and plugins in the Claude Marketplace. Examples Anthropic gives include Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, QuickBooks, Stripe, HubSpot, Docusign, Canva, Gusto and Shopify. One of Anthropic's own example requests is: "Check Stripe for unpaid invoices and draft reminder emails for me to approve."

Can I use Claude Duet in the UK?

Not yet. Claude's Help Center lists three requirements: a Pro or Max plan, a Claude account in the US, and an invitation from the waitlist. It says Claude Duet "is available in the US only during the research preview". Anthropic's launch post says it is "starting today with Pro and Max users in the US", which suggests other countries will follow, but it gives no date for the UK.

It also isn't available on Claude Team or Enterprise plans yet. Anthropic says it plans to bring it to those plans later.

How much does Claude Duet cost?

During the research preview it is included with the Pro and Max plans at no extra cost. The catch is usage limits. Claude Duet uses your plan's five-hour session and weekly limits at the same rate as normal Claude chats, and its background work (the morning brief and the regular check-ins) counts too, so you may hit your limits sooner. Anyone admitted to the preview gets one full limit reset, available until 30 November 2026.

For what the plans themselves cost, see how much does Claude cost? and does Claude have a free trial?

How do I join the Claude Duet waitlist?

The Help Center sets out the steps:

1. Go to the Claude Duet product page and choose "Join the waitlist".
2. Enter your name and the email address on your Claude account.
3. Choose your Claude plan and phone type, and optionally say what you do and what you'd hand off first.
4. Submit, then wait for an invitation email. Invitations go out in waves, with no set date.
5. Open the invitation on your phone, using the Apple or Google account linked to that same email address, because access is tied to it.

A UK account won't be let in during the US only preview, so joining the waitlist from here is a way to be ready, not a way in.

Why don't I have access to Claude Duet yet?

Claude lists four reasons: invitations go out in waves; it is US only during the preview; it isn't on Team or Enterprise plans; or the email on the waitlist doesn't match your Claude account or the Google or Apple account on your phone.

Is Claude Duet safe to let loose on my business?

Anthropic has built in some sensible guard rails, but it is still a preview and you stay responsible for what goes out in your name.

• It asks before it acts. It shows you what it is about to do and waits for approval before sending a message, making a payment, signing a document or deleting anything.
• Some things are blocked outright, even with approval, such as trading shares, moving money between accounts or getting into someone else's account.
• Passwords stay out of the chat. When a site asks for a password, you type it into a separate form on your device.
• It can be misled. Claude's Help Center warns that emails and web pages can contain hidden instructions meant to trick it (prompt injection), and says no defence is perfect. Read our page on whether AI agents can be trusted.
• It can get things wrong, such as misreading a thread or misjudging what is urgent. Check every draft before you approve it.

Other limits during the preview: Microsoft 365 isn't supported yet, so Outlook users are out for now; it doesn't make phone calls or send texts; it checks at intervals, so something urgent can land between checks; and you can't watch or take over its browser.

What would a UK trade use it for?

Once it reaches the UK, the obvious jobs for a sole trader or small firm are:

• Chasing unpaid invoices in QuickBooks or Stripe, with reminder emails drafted for you to approve.
• A morning list of new enquiries, quote requests and today's jobs from your inbox and calendar.
• Clearing newsletters and receipts out of the inbox so customer emails stand out.
• Following up quotes that have gone quiet.
• Pulling a short brief on a commercial customer before you price a big job.

What can UK firms use instead, today?

You don't need to wait for Duet to hand some of this off:

• Claude with connectors. Claude Pro is available in the UK and can connect to Gmail, Google Calendar and other apps, so you can ask it to summarise your inbox or draft replies. Claude Cowork is Claude's mode for multi-step tasks and is available on UK paid plans. See our Claude tool page.
• An AI inbox assistant. If email is the main drain, a dedicated assistant can sort your inbox and draft replies in your style, without waiting for a waitlist. Fyxer works with Gmail and Outlook, which Duet doesn't support yet, and drafts replies for you to check and send rather than sending on its own. Try Fyxer free for 14 days (affiliate link). If you take out a paid plan through our link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you; see how we make money. Our Fyxer review and AI email assistants for small business cover the options.
• Invoice reminders. The free payment reminder generator writes a polite chaser in seconds.

For a wider look at how agents work and where they help, read what is agentic AI? and how to use AI agents in your business.

If you'd rather do the admin yourself with good prompts, the AI Till Trades Pack has 40 AI prompts for UK trades, plus editable quote, invoice and payment reminder templates in Word.

Related questions

Is Claude Duet available in the UK?

No, not yet. Claude's Help Center says Claude Duet is available in the US only during the research preview, and you need a US Claude account. Anthropic hasn't given a UK date.

Does Claude Duet cost extra?

No. During the research preview it is included with Claude Pro and Max at no extra cost, but it uses your plan's usage limits, including its background checks.

Is Claude Duet on Claude Team or Enterprise?

Not yet. Anthropic says it plans to bring it to Team and Enterprise later.

Does Claude Duet work with Outlook or Microsoft 365?

Not yet. Claude's Help Center says Microsoft 365 isn't available yet. It works with Gmail, Google Calendar and other connectors you've set up in Claude.

Will Claude Duet send emails or pay for things without asking?

Anthropic says it is designed to show you what it's about to do and wait for your approval before sending a message, making a payment, signing a document or deleting anything.

What model does Claude Duet use?

Claude Opus 5.5. You can't choose a different model during the preview.

What's the difference between Claude Duet and Claude Cowork?

Cowork carries out multi-step tasks when you ask inside Claude, and is available on UK paid plans. Duet is a separate app that also comes to you first, with a morning brief and regular check-ins, and keeps working in the background. Duet is US only for now.

Sources

• Anthropic: Introducing Claude Duet (21 October 2026)
• Claude Help Center: Get started with Claude Duet
• Reuters via Investing.com: Anthropic unveils Claude Duet AI agent app (21 October 2026)
• Stripe newsroom: Anthropic and Stripe (21 October 2026)

Checked 24 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

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