Until now, Claude could only provide text responses and in-app artifacts, but it could not actually create or edit files. Today, Anthropic announced a new capability in Claude that allows it to create and edit popular file formats, including Excel spreadsheets, documents, PowerPoint slide decks, and PDFs, without leaving the Claude.ai web experience or the desktop app.
Claude now has access to a private computer environment that it will use to write and run code to create the files and analyses you need. This new file creation feature is rolling out to Claude Max, Team, and Enterprise plan users in preview. Claude Pro users will also get this new feature in the coming weeks. If you are a subscriber to any of the applicable plans, you can enable this feature by following the steps below:
- Go to Settings > Features > Experimental and enable the "Upgraded file creation and analysis" option.
- Upload the files to edit or describe what you need to create a new file.
- Once ready, you can download the completed files to your computer or save the file directly to Google Drive.
Anthropic highlighted the following examples of how users can use this feature:
- Turn data into insights: Give Claude raw data and get back polished outputs with cleaned data, statistical analysis, charts, and written insights explaining what matters.
- Build spreadsheets: Describe what you need—financial models with scenario analysis, project trackers with automated dashboards, or budget templates with variance calculations. Claude creates it with working formulas and multiple sheets.
- Cross-format work: Upload a PDF report and get PowerPoint slides. Share meeting notes and get a formatted document. Upload invoices and get organized spreadsheets with calculations.
This update significantly improves Claude"s functionality, transforming it from an AI chat interface into a practical productivity tool.