Install a Cowork plugin and try a first task (documented)

Installing a Cowork plugin takes a minute. This walkthrough follows Anthropic's current docs (October 2026) - the steps as documented, not a screenshot tour.

Before you start

Plugins need a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise), and Cowork needs the latest Claude Desktop. If Customize > Plugins is missing, the plan is the reason - the full checklist is in plugin requirements.

The install path

1. Open Customize, then Plugins, then Browse plugins. The default view is Anthropic's official catalog.
2. Pick one plugin - the starter shortlist maps one official plugin per job. One is the right number to learn with.
3. Click Install. The plugin is saved to your Claude account, not your computer, so it follows you to every device you sign in on.
4. To go beyond the official catalog, Add marketplace takes a GitHub repo as owner/repo or a full URL - details in add a GitHub marketplace.

What happens on first use

Two things the docs call out. First, you do not invoke a plugin by name - you describe the task, and Claude matches it to the plugin's skills by their descriptions. Ask in the words the plugin's README uses. Second, if the plugin includes connectors, each one asks for its own sign-in and approval the first time it is needed. Approving once is normal; it is not the plugin failing.

A good first task

Pick something small with a verifiable result: a summary of a document you know well, a draft you can judge. You are calibrating what the plugin does, not shipping. If nothing happens, the documented causes are in plugins not loading and skills missing.

Sources

• Use plugins in Claude - Claude Help Center
• Get started with Claude Cowork - Claude Help Center