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Day 49 of 52 · about 10 min · Basics · Bonus

Continue a local session from your phone

A task that needs one more answer shouldn’t wait until you’re back at your desk. Remote Control lets you reply from your phone while the work keeps running on your own machine, with your files and tools.

You’ll finish with

  • Remote Control on for a local session
  • The same conversation open on your phone or another browser
  • When to pick it over a cloud session

You’ll need

  • Remote Control needs a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan, signed in through claude.ai, not an API key. On Team and Enterprise, an Owner turns it on first.
  • The Claude app on your phone (iOS or Android), or a browser on another device
Start from the practice project as of Day 47 (.zip, 49 KB)

Before you start

Tell us about your setup and the steps change to fit it. Your answers stay in this browser, and you can change them at any time.

Which system are you on?

Commands differ between systems. Pick the one you’ll run Claude Code on.

The steps

One step at a time. When a step’s check matches, tick it and the next one opens.

0 of 3 steps done0%

  1. Step 1 of 3: Turn on Remote Control

    Run /remote-control in a session you already have.

    The first time, select Enable Remote Control. Your conversation so far carries over.

    In Claude Code

    You type: /remote-control

    What happens: An /rc active indicator links to the session on claude.ai.

    Starting fresh instead? claude --remote-control opens a new session with it already on.

    Check it worked

    The /rc active indicator appears (widen the terminal if you don’t see it). Run /remote-control again to see the session URL and a QR code.

    If it didn’t work

    It says Remote Control requires a claude.ai subscription

    You’re signed out or using an API key. Run claude auth login and choose the claude.ai option; if the message names ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, remove it from your shell or settings.

  2. Step 2 of 3: Open the session on your phone

    Scan the QR code or pick the session in the Claude app.

    The QR code opens the session in the Claude app. Or tap Code in the app and pick it from the list: online sessions show a computer icon with a green dot.

    In order:

    1. Shell

      Your machine

      runs Claude Code with your files and tools

    2. Tool

      Anthropic API

      routes messages over TLS, with no inbound ports on your machine

    3. You

      Your phone or browser

      a window into the same session

    Commands and file access stay on your machine. The transcript syncs through Anthropic.

    Check it worked

    Your phone shows the conversation so far, and a message you send there appears in your terminal too.

  3. Step 3 of 3: Keep the local session running

    Leave the terminal open while you work remotely.

    Closing the terminal or stopping claude takes the session offline. After sleep or a network drop, it reconnects when the machine is back.

    Remote Control

    • Runs on your machine
    • Uses your local files, tools and settings
    • Offline when claude stops

    Cloud session

    • Runs on a cloud machine
    • Starts from a fresh clone of your GitHub repository
    • Keeps going with your laptop off
    Use Remote Control for local work in progress, a cloud session for work that can start elsewhere.

    Check it worked

    After your laptop wakes from sleep, the session shows as online again on your phone without any action from you.

Finish · 3 of 3 steps to go

Your session follows you

Start work at your desk, answer from your phone, and finish where it suits you.

What you’ll have checked

  • /rc active shows in your terminal
  • A message from your phone reached the session

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Questions

Questions about Day 49

What does Anthropic store while I’m connected?

The session transcript: your messages, Claude’s replies and tool activity, so devices stay in sync.

Sources

Checked against the official Claude Code docs on .

Independent resource, not affiliated with Anthropic. HorizonLux wrote this lesson; Claude Code is made by Anthropic.