A coding task that stops when a laptop sleeps is a different workflow from one that keeps running in a managed environment. Anthropic has moved the latter out of research preview.
Anthropic updated its Claude Code on the web announcement on September 23 to say that the product, now called cloud sessions, is generally available for Pro, Max and Team users. Enterprise access covers premium seats and Chat + Claude Code seats. The older 2025 text lower on that page still describes the original research preview; the dated 2026 update and current documentation set out the present availability.
What moves to the cloud
A cloud session runs away from the user’s laptop, on Anthropic-managed infrastructure by default or in an organization’s self-hosted environment if configured. Anthropic says work continues after the local computer closes, and the user can check or steer it from another device. Sessions can start from the browser, the Claude mobile app, the desktop app’s Cloud option or the terminal with claude --cloud.
That is useful for a bounded task such as fixing a failing test or preparing a pull request while a developer is away. It does not remove the need to review the resulting diff and tests. The Claude Code documentation describes GitHub access, cloud environments, permission modes and review controls. For a sensitive repository, the first decision is which code, credentials and network destinations the environment can reach—not how many sessions can be launched.
Cloud execution also differs from Claude Code’s cross-session messaging: the former changes where work runs, while the latter changes how sessions communicate. Both make permissions more important. Teams should also review Claude Code’s current auto-mode billing rules before assuming a promotional credit covers every workflow.
The credit has a deadline and a narrow use
Anthropic’s Claude developer account said on X that existing Pro subscribers can claim a one-time $100 credit and existing Max subscribers a $250 credit to try cloud sessions. A follow-up post says the credit applies to cloud sessions only, is separate from ordinary usage limits, and is limited to one per account. Anthropic says users can follow its claim link or run /claim-credit in the CLI, must connect GitHub to start a session, and need to claim by October 7. Terms apply.
The credit is a limited promotion, not a new plan price or unlimited cloud computing. The main product page says cloud sessions share Claude Code rate limits, while the promotional post says the credit can fund cloud work after a local limit is reached. Those statements describe different controls. Check the live claim terms and the remaining credit in your own account before planning a long-running job around the offer. The durable product change is availability: a developer can hand a scoped coding task to a session that remains active without keeping a local terminal open.
Sources: Anthropic’s updated announcement; Claude Code cloud-session documentation; Claude developer account announcement and claim deadline.
