Beta and Research Preview

What it is

Claude ships some features before they’re generally available. Those features carry one of two labels: beta or research preview. Both mean “still evolving” — but they signal different stages.

Where to find it

Labels show up next to the feature name — in settings, in the feature itself, and in the help-centre article that describes it. There’s no separate page to visit; Anthropic keeps one help-centre article listing everything currently in either state.

How to use it

Read the labels

• Research preview. Earlier in development. A first look at something Anthropic is exploring, and more likely to change significantly before it becomes generally available.
• Beta. Further along. Stable enough for regular use, and Anthropic is still refining it based on what it learns from people using it.

What to expect from either

• The experience may change as Anthropic iterates on it.
• Performance and reliability may vary — these features haven’t had the polish generally available ones get.
• Not every feature graduates. Some become a permanent part of Claude; others are removed.

What’s currently in each state

From Anthropic’s help-centre article, last updated 7 July 2026:

Availability varies by plan — check each feature’s help-centre article for specifics.

Good to know

• This table is synced to Anthropic’s article, not to the app. The two don’t always agree, and where they differ the individual feature page says what the product actually does. Two current examples: Claude in Chrome has dropped out of the table, yet its own help articles still describe the Chrome side panel as beta; and Claude for Word is listed here as beta, while Anthropic’s Word documentation says it’s generally available.
• Other features are in one of these states without appearing in the table. Computer use is documented as beta on macOS and Windows, and Claude Security as a public beta for Enterprise plans.
• Feedback shapes the roadmap. Anthropic uses in-app feedback and support contact to decide what graduates and what gets cut.
• Labels move. A research preview can progress to beta and then to general availability. When it does, the in-app label usually catches up within a release or two.
• Plan gating is independent of stage. A generally available feature can still be Pro-and-above only; a research preview can still be on Free. Don’t infer one from the other.

What’s changed recently

• 2026-09-13 — Table rebuilt from the current article (last updated 7 July 2026), replacing our April snapshot. Claude in Chrome and Claude Desktop are no longer listed; Claude Managed Agents (research preview) and Claude for Word (beta) have been added. The remaining six rows are unchanged. We’ve also noted two places where the article and the product documentation now disagree — Claude in Chrome, and Claude for Word, which its own docs call generally available — and corrected the note about features outside the table: Claude Security is a public beta, not a research preview.

Related

• Cowork — an overview
• Claude Design
• Computer Use
• Claude Security