---
title: "Claim Ledger: Claude Cowork vs Copilot Cowork"
description: "Two AI agents now share one name. Which one you can get, what each asks before it acts, and how to check what's gone after it acts."
author: "Harry Floyd"
publication: "The Durability Curve"
canonical: "https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/"
essay: "https://durabilitycurve.com/blog/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/"
published: "2026-11-06"
ledger_date: "2026-11-06"
claims: 106
removed_before_publication: 0
---

# Claim Ledger: Claude Cowork vs Copilot Cowork

*Two AI agents now share one name. Which one you can get, what each asks before it acts, and how to check what's gone after it acts.*

Essay: https://durabilitycurve.com/blog/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/  
Ledger (canonical, cite this): https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/  
Published 2026-11-06 · last verified 2026-11-06

## What the essay claims

Before: "Cowork is one product", or "Copilot Cowork is Microsoft's version and I can get it here", or "it asks before deleting anything, so my files are safe". After: two companies ship agents under the same name, and for a UK personal account only Anthropic's is open; both promise to ask before deleting files and both make you responsible for what the agent does; in one documented case the agent asked to delete some temporary files, was allowed, and a script it wrote then removed 15 years of photos from a folder it took for an empty duplicate. Users' bug reports describe local Cowork's delete permission as a switch for the connected folder: one Allow and rm works on any path inside it. So the reader keeps an undo the agent cannot touch, works on copies, and checks the result with a list of names that does not depend on the agent's account.

## The claim ladder

What the ladder does not reach: - No row runs either agent. Nothing here measures how often either Cowork deletes something unasked. - No vendor page says whether one Allow in Claude Cowork covers later deletions in the same task; the users' reports describe local sessions only, and no source covers today's cloud sessions. - The incident predates Cowork's move to cloud sessions; the guide does not say today's version would do the same.

| # | Claim | Whose behaviour it measures | Status / scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Cowork" names two products: Anthropic's agent on paid Claude plans and Microsoft's agent in Microsoft 365 | Both vendors' pages | Vendor documentation, 5 Nov 2026 |
| 2 | Microsoft says Copilot Cowork can use Anthropic's Claude models for most reasoning, drafting and tool use, and is limited to Anthropic-supported regions | Microsoft Learn FAQ | Vendor statement |
| 3 | Claude Cowork needs a paid plan (Pro, Max, Ultra, Team, Enterprise); US prices from $17 a month billed yearly; the UK is a supported region | Anthropic's pages | Vendor documentation; US dollar prices before tax |
| 4 | Copilot Cowork for personal accounts is a preview on Microsoft 365 Premium and Pro, only in the US and Canada; at work it needs a licence and IT setup | Microsoft's pages | Vendor documentation |
| 5 | On Pro, Max, Ultra and Team, new Claude Cowork tasks start in "Automatically approve" (Auto in the new experience), where Claude reviews each action; for connector tools that write or delete, "Claude decides"; Enterprise starts in Manual | Anthropic's pages | Vendor documentation; admins can change it |
| 6 | Both vendors say their agent asks before deleting files (Anthropic: "in any mode" on one page, "by default" on another; Microsoft: personal accounts), and both say you are responsible for what it does; Microsoft's FAQ says Copilot Cowork can't delete files in OneDrive or SharePoint | Both vendors' pages | Vendor documentation |
| 6a | In local Cowork, rm fails until Claude is granted delete permission, and after one grant it works on the connected folder | Users' bug reports #79526, #55311 | Two users' reports, local sessions, May and July 2026; not vendor documentation |
| 7 | In Feb 2026 Claude Cowork asked to delete Office temp files, was allowed, and a later script deleted a folder of 15 years of photos it believed was an empty duplicate; iCloud's 30-day recovery of deleted files brought them back | Davidov's posts and screenshot; AIID | One user's account with a screenshot of the agent's own log; Cowork has since changed (cloud sessions on personal plans) |
| 8 | On a Mac's usual disk, "photos" and "Photos" are one folder | Our run on one Mac (APFS, not case-sensitive) and the agent's own words in the screenshot | One machine |
| 9 | The check names 41 files gone on the incident's shape (1 deletion approved), only the approved lock file on a correct tidy, and the substituted files when the wrong ones go | Our run, 5 Nov 2026, demo/reader-recipe-v2.sh (bash and zsh) | A shell replay of the shape and three probes; no agent was run |
| 10 | OneDrive keeps deleted files 30 days on personal accounts and 93 on work accounts unless an admin changed it | Microsoft Support | Vendor documentation |

The guide compares from the vendors' own pages, reads one incident at its primary, and demonstrates one check. It does not test the products.

## What would make it wrong

The guide is wrong if the delete prompt shows you every file before it goes. Two things would show it: - A vendor documents that every deletion is shown to the user with its target before it runs, including deletions inside scripts, and an independent test confirms it. - Reports of agents deleting files the user never saw named stop appearing once both vendors' delete protection is in place.

Either would move the check from a guard to a habit.

## The evidence, row by row

Labels: VERIFIED = checked against the primary source itself by a checker who did not draft the piece, usually with the exact words, where they sit and the date read · EXECUTED = a run or observation done for the piece (code, a query, a count, or a check made live in an app); the claim is what it returned; run records are not published · CHECKED = checked against its source by a separate checker in the older ledger format, which recorded no quote, locator or date · REPORTED = not verified word for word against a primary source (secondary, not openable in full, or supported only in part); the essay words it accordingly · STRUCK = drafted, checked and removed before publication · EXCLUDED = considered and deliberately left out.

### 1. Claude Cowork brings Claude Code's agentic abilities to work beyond coding

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-1
- Quote: "brings Claude Code's agentic capabilities to knowledge work beyond coding"
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), intro, para 1
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 2. Claude Cowork runs tasks in the cloud on Anthropic's servers (new tasks on Pro, Max and Ultra; on Team by default; off by default on Enterprise, see the cloud-session rows)

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-2
- Quote: "Cowork runs your tasks in the cloud. Claude's work runs on Anthropic's servers, in an isolated environment, and your sessions and files are saved to your Claude account."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), How Claude Cowork runs your tasks, para 1
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 3. It reaches your computer only through the desktop app and only for folders you connect

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-3
- Quote: "When a task needs a local file or your browser, Claude reaches your computer through the Claude Desktop app, and only for the folders you've connected."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork safely (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Where your task runs, para 1
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13364135-use-claude-cowork-safely

### 4. Anthropic's first example task is a tidy-up

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-4
- Quote: "Organize my Downloads folder by type and date"
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Example use cases > File and document management > Organize files
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 5. Copilot Cowork, in Microsoft's words

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-5
- Quote: "Cowork helps you get work done by completing complex, coordinated actions across your apps, files, and data."
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, Copilot Chat vs Cowork answer
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 6. Copilot Cowork creates and edits Office files and PDFs

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-6
- Quote: "Create and edit Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and PDFs."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Get started with Microsoft Copilot Cowork for personal accounts (Preview), What you can do with Cowork, bullet 1
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-cowork

### 7. It handles email and calendar

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-7
- Quote: "Draft, reply to, and send email, and manage your calendar."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Get started with Microsoft Copilot Cowork for personal accounts (Preview), What you can do with Cowork, bullet 2
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-cowork

### 8. It manages your OneDrive files

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-8
- Quote: "Manage your files in OneDrive."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Get started with Microsoft Copilot Cowork for personal accounts (Preview), What you can do with Cowork, bullet 3
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-cowork

### 9. It runs prompts on a schedule

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-9
- Quote: "Run prompts on a schedule so recurring tasks happen automatically."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Get started with Microsoft Copilot Cowork for personal accounts (Preview), What you can do with Cowork, bullet 6
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-cowork

### 10. Copilot Cowork runs in the browser and the Copilot desktop app (the address is not named: Microsoft's pages disagree)

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-10
- Quote: "Cowork runs in your browser at m365.cloud.microsoft and in the Microsoft Copilot desktop app."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Get started with Microsoft Copilot Cowork for personal accounts (Preview), Set up Cowork, para 1
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-cowork

### 11. Copilot Cowork on mobile

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-11
- Quote: "On the Microsoft Copilot mobile app for iOS and Android devices"
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, Where can I use Cowork, mobile bullet
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 12. Personal accounts are a preview; work accounts are generally available

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-12
- Quote: "Cowork for work or school accounts is generally available"
- Source: Microsoft Support, Get started with Microsoft Copilot Cowork for personal accounts (Preview), Set up Cowork, Note
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-cowork

### 13. Copilot Cowork can use Anthropic's Claude models for most of its reasoning

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-13
- Quote: "Cowork can use Anthropic Claude models as a subprocessor for most reasoning, drafting, and tool-using work."
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, Does Cowork connect to external models for processing?
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 14. So Copilot Cowork is limited to Anthropic-supported regions

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-14
- Quote: "Cowork isn't an exception, and use and access is currently limited to Anthropic-supported regions."
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, Are there unsupported regions?
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 15. Claude Cowork needs a paid plan

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-15
- Quote: "Cowork is available to paid Claude plans (Pro, Max, Ultra, Team, Enterprise) only."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Requirements, Paid Claude subscription
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 16. Pro's US price

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-16
- Quote: "$17 Per month with annual subscription discount ( $200 billed up front). $20 if billed monthly."
- Source: Claude, Plans and pricing, Pro card (the page prints a space after the bracket)
- URL: https://claude.com/pricing

### 17. Max's US price

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-17
- Quote: "Max For all-day work $100 Per month"
- Source: Claude, Plans and pricing, Max card
- URL: https://claude.com/pricing

### 18. Ultra's US price

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-18
- Quote: "Ultra For your longest tasks $200 Per month"
- Source: Claude, Plans and pricing, Ultra card
- URL: https://claude.com/pricing

### 19. Team standard seat US price

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-19
- Quote: "$20 Per seat / month if billed annually. $25 if billed monthly."
- Source: Claude, Plans and pricing, Team, Standard seat
- URL: https://claude.com/pricing

### 20. Prices exclude tax

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-20
- Quote: "Prices shown don’t include applicable tax."
- Source: Claude, Plans and pricing, below the plan cards
- URL: https://claude.com/pricing

### 21. The UK is a supported region for Anthropic's products

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-21
- Quote: "United Kingdom"
- Source: Anthropic, Supported countries and regions, country list (U)
- URL: https://www.anthropic.com/legal/supported-regions

### 22. The desktop app runs on macOS, Windows and Linux (beta), on all paid plans

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-22
- Quote: "Claude Desktop for macOS, Windows, and Linux (beta) : Available on all paid plans."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Availability, bullet 1
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 23. Web and mobile: Pro, Max, Ultra and Team (beta on Team); Enterprise when an owner enables it

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-23
- Quote: "Web and Claude Mobile: Pro, Max, Ultra, and Team plans (in beta on Team), and Enterprise plans when an owner enables it."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Availability, bullet 2
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 24. Local files, browser use and computer use need the desktop app for macOS or Windows, open

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-24
- Quote: "For local file access, browser use, and computer use: The Claude Desktop app for macOS or Windows, open and connected."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Requirements, bullet 2
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 25. Multi-step tasks use more of your allowance

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-25
- Quote: "Multi-step tasks, like ones that run code, create files, or use your connected apps and browser, use more of your usage than a quick question."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Usage limits
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 26. Copilot Cowork on personal plans: Premium limited usage, Pro highest usage, not on Personal or Family

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-26
- Quote: "Cowork (in preview)* Not available Not available Limited usage Highest usage"
- Source: Microsoft Support, AI credits and limits for Microsoft 365 subscriptions, Limits for each plan table, Cowork row (columns Personal, Family, Premium, Pro)
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/ai-credits-and-limits-for-microsoft-365-subscriptions

### 27. The personal plans' Cowork is only in the US and Canada (the table covers subscriptions for individuals)

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-27
- Quote: "*Currently only available in the US and Canada. Availability varies by platform and device."
- Source: Microsoft Support, AI credits and limits for Microsoft 365 subscriptions, footnote under the table
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/ai-credits-and-limits-for-microsoft-365-subscriptions

### 28. Personal and Family subscribers lose Cowork

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-28
- Quote: "If you have a Personal or Family subscription, you will lose access to Cowork."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Updates to Copilot and the Microsoft Copilot app, Copilot Tasks transition, Subscription access
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/learning/changes-microsoft-copilot-app

### 29. At work it needs a licence, Cowork enabled and billing set up

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-29
- Quote: "Make sure you have a Microsoft Copilot license, Cowork enabled in your Microsoft Copilot environment, and usage-based and Cowork billing enabled."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Get started with Microsoft Copilot Cowork for personal accounts (Preview), For work or school accounts
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/get-started-with-cowork

### 30. Claude Cowork has three modes for when it asks (the new experience shows two settings, Auto and Manual)

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-30
- Quote: "Cowork has three modes that control when Claude asks your permission before taking an action"
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Choose how Claude checks with you, para 1
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 31. New tasks start in Automatically approve on Pro, Max, Ultra and Team; off on Enterprise (default; not executable: service-side product behaviour, read from the vendor's own help page)

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-31
- Quote: "It’s on by default on Pro, Max, Ultra, and Team plans, and off by default on Enterprise plans."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Auto mode availability, second setting; not executable: service-side product behaviour, read from the vendor's own help page
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 32. In the new experience, Auto is the default on personal and Team plans (default; not executable: service-side product behaviour, read from the vendor's own help page)

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-32
- Quote: "Auto (default on Pro, Max, Ultra, and Team plans) and Manual (default on Enterprise plans)"
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Choose how Claude checks with you, Note; not executable: service-side product behaviour, read from the vendor's own help page
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 33. Manual: Claude pauses and asks

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-33
- Quote: "Claude pauses and asks for approval for actions. You review each request and choose Allow or Deny."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Manually approve (Manual)
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 34. Auto: Claude reviews each action and blocks what it judges unsafe

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-34
- Quote: "Claude reviews each action for safety (such as checking for data exfiltration or prompt injection ) and automatically blocks anything it determines to be unsafe."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Automatically approve (Auto)
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 35. In Auto, Claude decides for connector tools that write or delete, unless they are set to Blocked (the connector-tool permission table)

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-35
- Quote: "For write/delete tools, Claude decides"
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), mode table, Auto row
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 36. Skip: nothing checks

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-36
- Quote: "Claude doesn't pause to ask and nothing checks its actions automatically."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Skip all approvals (Skip)
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 37. Claude asks before permanently deleting files, in any mode

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-37
- Quote: "Claude always asks before permanently deleting files, in any mode."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork safely (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), 4. Match your oversight to the stakes, para 1
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13364135-use-claude-cowork-safely

### 38. The delete prompt needs Allow

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-38
- Quote: "You will see a permission prompt and will need to select "Allow" before Claude is allowed to perform deletion tasks."
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Deletion protection
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 39. Computer use skips the permission checks

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-39
- Quote: "Be especially cautious with computer use—Claude clicks, types, and navigates your screen directly, without the permission checks that gate other Cowork tools."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork safely (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), To minimize risks, last bullet
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13364135-use-claude-cowork-safely

### 40. Anthropic's own advice for real consequences

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-40
- Quote: "For work with real consequences—money, messages sent as you, important files—stay close and review what Claude does"
- Source: Claude Help, Get started with Claude Cowork (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Automatically approve, para 2
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-get-started-with-claude-cowork

### 42. Anthropic: you remain responsible

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-42
- Quote: "You remain responsible for all actions taken by Claude performed on your behalf."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork safely (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Your responsibility
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13364135-use-claude-cowork-safely

### 43. Copilot Cowork asks before some actions, including writing files

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-43
- Quote: "Before Cowork takes certain actions, including writing files, it asks for your permission."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), para 1
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 44. Its approval list includes deleting files

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-44
- Quote: "Account altering actions , including deleting files, modifying cloud storage, canceling subscriptions, or changing account settings."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), When is user approval required?, bullet 4
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 45. Its approval list includes money

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-45
- Quote: "Monetary transactions , such as completing a purchase or submitting payment."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), When is user approval required?, bullet 1
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 46. Its approval list includes acting toward other people

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-46
- Quote: "Actions involving other people , such as sending emails or messages."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), When is user approval required?, bullet 3
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 47. Scheduled tasks can take approvals at setup and run unattended

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-47
- Quote: "For scheduled or recurring tasks, Copilot may ask for required approvals during setup so the task can run unattended in the future."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), When is user approval required?, last para
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 48. You can pause or cancel

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-48
- Quote: "You can also pause Cowork at any time (to finish the current step, or immediately), resume when you're ready, or cancel the task entirely."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), Approve actions
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 49. Microsoft: you are responsible

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-49
- Quote: "You are responsible for actions Copilot takes on your behalf."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), Important box
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 50. The local browser uses your own sign-ins

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-50
- Quote: "The remote browser runs separately from your device, while the local browser uses Microsoft Edge and the sites you're already signed in to."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Updates to Copilot and the Microsoft Copilot app, Copilot Tasks transition, Browser
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/learning/changes-microsoft-copilot-app

### 51. Davidov asked Claude Cowork to organise his wife's desktop; it asked to delete temp Office files; he allowed it

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-51
- Quote: "Asked Claude Cowork organize my wife’s desktop, it stated doing it, asked for a permission to delete temp office files, I granted it, and then it goes “ooops”."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, 7 Feb 2026 03:52 UTC (first post), post text, sentence 1 (read via X's public embed endpoint; saved as JSON)
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2019982510478995782

### 54. The screenshot shows the delete request for Office temp lock files

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-54
- Quote: "Attempted to delete Office temp lock files from Desktop"
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, screenshot attached to the 15:03 UTC reply (Claude Cowork's own account of the error), screenshot, step 1 (read by eye; transcript in sources)
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2020151363229900835

### 55. Cowork said it needed delete permission first

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-55
- Quote: "I need to request delete permission first."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, screenshot attached to the 15:03 UTC reply (Claude Cowork's own account of the error), screenshot, line 2
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2020151363229900835

### 56. Cowork's own account: the case-insensitive merge

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-56
- Quote: "When I tried to merge the lowercase "photos" folder with a new "Photos" folder, I didn't account for your Mac's case-insensitive filesystem"
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, screenshot attached to the 15:03 UTC reply (Claude Cowork's own account of the error), screenshot, last paragraph
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2020151363229900835

### 57. Cowork's own account: rm -rf on what it took for an empty folder

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-57
- Quote: "My script ran rm -rf on what it thought was a separate empty folder, but it actually deleted your existing "photos" directory and its contents."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, screenshot attached to the 15:03 UTC reply (Claude Cowork's own account of the error), screenshot, last paragraph; also quoted by Futurism para 6
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2020151363229900835

### 58. The screenshot's model picker shows Opus 4.6

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-58
- Quote: "Opus 4.6"
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, screenshot attached to the 15:03 UTC reply (Claude Cowork's own account of the error), screenshot, model picker in the reply box
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2020151363229900835

### 62. Since 6 Oct, new desktop tasks on Pro, Max and Ultra run in the cloud

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-62
- Quote: "On Pro, Max, and Ultra plans, new tasks you start on desktop run in the cloud too"
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork safely (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), 9. Understand what sessions in the cloud can reach
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13364135-use-claude-cowork-safely

### 63. Anthropic's advice: a dedicated folder and backups

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-63
- Quote: "Consider creating a dedicated working folder for Claude rather than granting broad access, and keep backups of important files."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork safely (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), 1. Be selective about file access
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13364135-use-claude-cowork-safely

### 65. OneDrive restore windows

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-65
- Quote: "For personal accounts, you can restore files or folders deleted within the last 30 days. For work or school accounts, you can restore files or folders deleted within the last 93 days, unless your administrator changed the retention setting."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive, para 3
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restore-deleted-files-or-folders-in-onedrive-949ada80-0026-4db3-a953-c99083e6a84f

### 66. No restore after the recycle bin is emptied

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-66
- Quote: "You can't restore files or folders after they've been permanently deleted from the OneDrive recycle bin."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive, para 4
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restore-deleted-files-or-folders-in-onedrive-949ada80-0026-4db3-a953-c99083e6a84f

### 67. Team/Enterprise: Cowork on by default; owners can disable

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-67
- Quote: "Claude Cowork is on by default, but organization owners can manually disable it."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Admin controls
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 68. Admins control whether Automatically approve is offered

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-68
- Quote: "Allow "Automatically approve" mode controls whether members can use the mode. This setting is on by default"
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Auto mode availability, first setting; not executable: service-side product behaviour, read from the vendor's own help page
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 69. Local sessions keep history on the user's computer, which admins cannot centrally manage or delete

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-69
- Quote: "For local sessions, Cowork stores conversation history on users' computers. This data is not subject to Anthropic's standard data retention policies , and admins cannot centrally manage or delete it."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Monitoring > Local conversation storage
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 70. Enterprise admins can retrieve it through the Compliance API

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-70
- Quote: "Claude Enterprise admins can retrieve this content through the Compliance API."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Monitoring > Local conversation storage
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 71. Microsoft admins can switch off Anthropic models

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-71
- Quote: "Administrators can disable models, including Anthropic models , for their organization in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Copilot settings."
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, admin controls, Turn off individual models
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 72. The approval box previews the plan and names its button for the action

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-72
- Quote: "The approval dialog shows a preview of what Cowork plans to do and a button labeled with the specific action."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), Approve actions, para 1
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 73. Its approval list includes sending personal details to websites

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-73
- Quote: "Submitting personal information to external websites, such as names, addresses, or phone numbers."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Take control of Microsoft Copilot Cowork actions before they run (Preview), When is user approval required?, bullet 2
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/cowork-take-control-actions

### 74. The remote browser is not here yet; web tasks use local Edge

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-74
- Quote: "The remote browser is coming soon. For now, you can use the local browser in Microsoft Edge."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Updates to Copilot and the Microsoft Copilot app, Copilot Tasks transition, Browser
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/learning/changes-microsoft-copilot-app

### 76. Team and Enterprise can run local sessions: the work runs on the user's computer, its code in an isolated VM

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-76
- Quote: "Local sessions: Claude's work runs on the user’s computer, with code in an isolated virtual machine."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Where Cowork runs, bullet 2
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 77. Microsoft limits services using Anthropic models to Anthropic-supported regions

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-77
- Quote: "Access to use Anthropic models through Microsoft services is limited to the regions that Anthropic currently supports ."
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, Are there unsupported regions?
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 79. The 15 years, in Davidov's own post

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-79
- Quote: "accidentally deleted a folder with all of the photos my wife made on her camera for the last 15 years. All photos of kids, their illustrations, friends’ weddings, travel, everything."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, 7 Feb 2026 03:52 UTC (first post, full text via the fxtwitter mirror of X), post text, sentence 2
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2019982510478995782

### 80. It was done in Terminal and was not in the trash

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-80
- Quote: "It’s not in trash, it was done via terminal"
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, 7 Feb 2026 03:52 UTC (first post, full text via the fxtwitter mirror of X), post text, line 3
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2019982510478995782

### 81. iCloud had already synced the change

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-81
- Quote: "It’s not in iCloud, it already synced the new file structure."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, 7 Feb 2026 03:52 UTC (first post, full text via the fxtwitter mirror of X), post text, line 4
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2019982510478995782

### 83. Apple pointed him to iCloud's 30-day recovery of deleted files

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-83
- Quote: "I called Apple and they pointed me to a feature in iCloud allowing to retrieve files that were saved before but are no longer on iCloud Drive (they keep them for 30 days)."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, 7 Feb 2026 03:52 UTC (first post, full text via the fxtwitter mirror of X), post text, line 7
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2019982510478995782

### 84. He watched tens of thousands of files come back

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-84
- Quote: "I’m now watching it load tens of thousands of files."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, 7 Feb 2026 03:52 UTC (first post, full text via the fxtwitter mirror of X), post text, line 8
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2019982510478995782

### 85. His own rule

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-85
- Quote: "Don’t let it touch anything that is hard to repair."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, 7 Feb 2026 03:52 UTC (first post, full text via the fxtwitter mirror of X), post text, last line
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2019982510478995782

### 86. Users report: in local Cowork, rm fails until delete permission is granted

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-86
- Quote: "rm in the bash sandbox keeps failing with Operation not permitted (expected before permission is granted)"
- Source: anthropics/claude-code issue #79526 (user report, 20 Jul 2026, closed), What's Wrong?, para 2
- URL: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/79526

### 87. Users report: the reproduction is an attempted rm, then Claude asks for the permission

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-87
- Quote: "Ask Claude to delete a file inside it. rm fails with Operation not permitted (expected), so Claude calls allow_cowork_file_delete with the VM path."
- Source: anthropics/claude-code issue #79526 (user report, 20 Jul 2026, closed), Steps to reproduce, step 3
- URL: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/79526

### 88. Users report: after one grant, rm works

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-88
- Quote: "allow_cowork_file_delete succeeds and rm works afterwards."
- Source: anthropics/claude-code issue #79526 (user report, 20 Jul 2026, closed), Supporting evidence, bullet 1
- URL: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code/issues/79526

### 91. Anthropic's newer page: asks before permanent deletion by default

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-91
- Quote: "by default it asks before permanently deleting any files."
- Source: Claude Help, Claude Cowork and chat are one Claude, para on local files and computer use
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/16761823-claude-cowork-and-chat-are-one-claude

### 92. Connected folders are listed under Trusted folders

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-92
- Quote: "Folders you gave Cowork access to are listed under Trusted folders ."
- Source: Claude Help, Claude Cowork and chat are one Claude, Files
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/16761823-claude-cowork-and-chat-are-one-claude

### 94. iCloud.com recovers deleted files for 30 days

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-94
- Quote: "On iCloud.com, you can recover files deleted from both iCloud Drive and other apps within the last 30 days"
- Source: Apple, iCloud User Guide, Recover deleted files on iCloud.com, para 1
- URL: https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/recover-deleted-files-mmae56ea1ca5/icloud

### 96. Prior art: agents act on wrong internal pictures of the file system

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-96
- Quote: "generate incorrect internal representations of what’s happening on your computer"
- Source: Ars Technica (Benj Edwards), 24 Jul 2025, body, para 1
- URL: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/07/ai-coding-assistants-chase-phantoms-destroy-real-user-data/

### 99. Cloud sessions are off by default on Enterprise

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-99
- Quote: "Enterprise plans: off by default. An owner turns on "Run Cowork in the cloud,""
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Enable or disable sessions in the cloud
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 100. Cloud sessions are on by default on Team

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-100
- Quote: "Team plans: on by default."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Enable or disable sessions in the cloud
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 101. Microsoft: Copilot Cowork can't delete OneDrive or SharePoint files

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-101
- Quote: "Cowork can't delete files or folders in OneDrive or SharePoint."
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, Are there known limitations?
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 102. Microsoft: it can't touch files on your device

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-102
- Quote: "Cowork can't access or edit files stored locally on your device. It works with files in OneDrive and SharePoint."
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, Are there known limitations?
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 103. Microsoft: an approval can skip similar prompts for the session

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-103
- Quote: "Approve the action and skip the prompt for similar actions for the rest of the current session."
- Source: Microsoft Learn, Copilot Cowork FAQ, approval dialog, More options
- URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot/cowork/cowork-faq

### 104. The screenshot: Cowork built folders and moved files

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-104
- Quote: "All 755 screenshots moved."
- Source: Nick Davidov on X, screenshot attached to the 15:03 UTC reply (Claude Cowork's own account of the error), screenshot, line 9
- URL: https://x.com/Nick_Davidov/status/2020151363229900835

### 105. Anthropic: prompt-injection risk is non-zero

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-105
- Quote: "the risk of prompt injection attacks is non-zero."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Prompt injection risks
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 106. Computer use asks before each application

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-106
- Quote: "When Claude uses your computer, it asks for your permission before accessing each application."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork safely (updated this week as of 5 Nov 2026), Our safety measures, Computer use safeguards
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13364135-use-claude-cowork-safely

### 107. Microsoft is moving personal Copilot Tasks users to Cowork

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-107
- Quote: "Customers using Copilot Tasks with a personal Microsoft Copilot account will begin to be migrated to Copilot Cowork over the next few weeks."
- Source: Microsoft Support, Updates to Copilot and the Microsoft Copilot app, Copilot Tasks transition to Cowork, para 1
- URL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365-copilot/learning/changes-microsoft-copilot-app

### 108. Cowork starts off in organisations with HIPAA enabled

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-108
- Quote: "In organizations that have enabled HIPAA, Cowork is off by default."
- Source: Claude Help, Use Claude Cowork on Team and Enterprise plans, Admin controls
- URL: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13455879-use-claude-cowork-on-team-and-enterprise-plans

### 109. In Finder a plain drag moves files into a folder; holding Option keeps the original and puts a copy there

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-06)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-109
- Quote: "Keep an item in its original location and put a copy in a folder: Select the item, press and hold the Option key, then drag the item to the folder."
- Source: Apple, Mac User Guide, Organize files in folders on Mac, Move items into a folder ("All selected items move to the folder.")
- URL: https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/organize-files-in-folders-mh26885/mac

### 110. The US and Canada are supported regions for Anthropic's products, so Claude Cowork is on offer there too

- Status: VERIFIED (read 2026-11-06)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-110
- Quote: "Canada" / "United States of America"
- Source: Anthropic, Supported countries and regions, country list (C, U); sources/anthropic-supported-regions.txt lines 48, 196
- URL: https://www.anthropic.com/legal/supported-regions

### E1. On our Mac's disk, a folder named Photos cannot sit beside one named photos: they are one folder

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E1
- Quote: "Photos: mkdir refused, already exists"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026 (macOS 26.5, APFS, not case-sensitive)

### E2. Replaying the incident's shape on 42 files with 1 deletion approved, the count check reports 41 lost

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E2
- Quote: "before: 42 / lost: 41"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026 (shell replay; no agent run)

### E3. A correct tidy of the same 42 files, with the same 1 deletion approved, reports 1 lost and leaves 41 files

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E3
- Quote: "before: 42 / lost: 1 / files now: 41"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026 (control)

### E5. The replay folder holds 40 dummy photos in photos/, a notes file and an Office lock file

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E5
- Quote: "for i in $(seq -w 1 40); do printf 'dummy photo %s\n' "$i" > "$1/photos/IMG_00$i.jpg"; done"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026

### E6. The guide's printed case check, run verbatim: mkdir Photos beside photos fails

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E6
- Quote: "mkdir: Photos: File exists"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026 (macOS 26.5; HOME pointed at a temp folder)

### E8. The guide's printed check, run verbatim in bash and zsh, prints 42 files before and 41 gone after the replayed job, naming each

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E8
- Quote: "42 files / 41 gone"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026 (macOS 26.5, bash 3.2 and zsh; HOME pointed at a temp folder)

### E9. On a correct tidy it names only the approved lock file; when 5 unique photos go in place of 5 approved duplicates it names those 5; a photo removed with the lock file is named

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E9
- Quote: "gone: ./photos/IMG_0011.jpg / 5 gone / 1 gone"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026 (probes C and D, bash and zsh)

### E10. If the copy is not where the command expects, the chained commands stop at cd and print nothing else

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E10
- Quote: "no such file or directory"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026 (bash and zsh)

### E11. The printed after-list names the deleted copies in a Finder-style dedupe, names the deleted one in a swap of identical files, names 'Keep me.txt' among empty files, and prints 40 gone when a one-folder copy is emptied

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-05)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E11
- Quote: "40 gone / gone: ./IMG_0001 copy.jpg / gone: ./Album/IMG_1.jpg / gone: ./Keep me.txt"
- Source: Our run, 5 Nov 2026 (bash and zsh, LANG=en_GB.UTF-8)

### E12. The printed after-list names a file the job deleted, a file it edited in place and a file it moved out of cowork-test, and does not name a file renamed and moved within the folder

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-06)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E12
- Quote: "gone: ./a.txt / gone: ./b.txt / gone: ./c.txt / 3 gone"
- Source: Our run, 6 Nov 2026 (macOS 26.5, bash and zsh; HOME pointed at a temp folder)

### E13. Step 2 as printed stops on a file it can't read: it prints the error and no count; every recorded probe gives the same output as the earlier Step 2

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-06)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E13
- Quote: "shasum: ./b.txt: Permission denied / exit: 1"
- Source: Our run, 6 Nov 2026 (macOS 26.5, bash and zsh, en_GB.UTF-8 and C; HOME pointed at a temp folder)

### E14. The printed check misses an edit when the job copies the old contents into another file: two files trading contents, or an edit after a backup copy, print 0 gone; a plain edit is named, and so is an edit to one of two identical files

- Status: EXECUTED (read 2026-11-06)
- Row link: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-E14
- Quote: "0 gone / 0 gone / gone: ./report.txt / gone: ./IMG_1.jpg"
- Source: Our run, 6 Nov 2026 (macOS 26.5, bash and zsh; HOME pointed at a temp folder)

## Cite

- A claim: name the original source (and its locator) first, then the row it was checked in, e.g. "<source>, <locator>. Checked in: Claim Ledger, "Claude Cowork vs Copilot Cowork", The Durability Curve, row <id>, https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/#c-<id>."
- The essay: Floyd, Harry (2026). Claude Cowork vs Copilot Cowork. The Durability Curve. https://durabilitycurve.com/blog/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/
- This ledger: Floyd, Harry (2026). Claim Ledger: Claude Cowork vs Copilot Cowork. The Durability Curve. https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork/
- Downloads: https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork.csv · https://durabilitycurve.com/claims/claude-cowork-vs-copilot-cowork.json

Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Reuse it, quote it or train on it, with credit to The Durability Curve and a link. Open to AI (robots.txt: search=yes, ai-input=yes, ai-train=yes).