Getting Started with Cowork + Installing Plugins

If you have bought a plugin and felt stuck at the very first step, you are in the right place. This guide walks you all the way from nothing to a plugin running, in plain English.

Plugins are add-ons that give Claude new, ready-made abilities for a specific job. An author plugin might research your genre, build a story bible, draft chapters in a set style, or manage your newsletter promos. Instead of typing long prompts, you install the plugin once and run it like a tool.

Cowork is a workspace inside the Claude desktop app. It is one of a few places you can use plugins, and it is the best one, because Cowork is where you can install plugins, customize them, and run their more advanced features. Some of those features are grayed out in plain chat, which is exactly why we set you up in Cowork.

The short version of what you'll do

• Install the Claude desktop app and open Cowork.
• Go to Customize, then Plugins.
• Install a plugin (from the catalog, or one you received).
• Run it with a quick menu.

Cowork lives in the Claude desktop app, so the first step is to install that app.

1. Go to claude.ai/download and download the Claude app for your computer (Mac or Windows).
2. Install it the same way you would any app, then open it and sign in with your paid Claude account.
3. At the top of the app, click the Cowork tab. You are now in the workspace where plugins live.

Here is the standard way to install any plugin from Claude's built-in catalog. It is two real clicks once you find the menu.

1. In the left sidebar, open Customize.
2. Select the Plugins tab.
3. Click Browse plugins to see what is available.
4. Pick a plugin and click Install.
5. If the plugin needs to connect to another tool (like your email or Drive), you will be asked to sign in and approve it. That is normal.

That is it. The plugin is now installed and ready to run, which we will do in a moment.

When you buy a Niche Raiders plugin, you install it through the same Customize then Plugins screen. Depending on how it was delivered to you, you will use one of two methods. Both are quick.

Method A: You were given a link

If your plugin came with a marketplace or installation link, open Customize, then Plugins, add the link where it asks for a marketplace or source, and the plugin appears for you to Install.

Method B: You were given a file

If your plugin came as a file (for example a downloaded plugin folder or package), open Customize, then Plugins, choose the option to add a custom plugin, and select the file you downloaded. It then shows up in your plugin list, installed and ready.

Once a plugin is installed, using it is the easy part.

1. In Cowork (or chat), start a message.
2. Type a forward slash ( / ) or click the plus ( + ) button.
3. A menu shows the skills from your installed plugins. Pick the one you want.
4. Follow the plugin's prompts. Many Niche Raiders plugins ask you a few simple questions and then do the work.

That is the whole loop: install once, then run any time with a slash or a plus. You now know more about Cowork than most people who have had it for months.

A few things that occasionally trip people up, and the quick fix for each.

"I don't see Customize or Plugins"

Make sure you are signed in to a paid Claude plan, and that you are in the desktop app with the Cowork tab open. The free plan does not show plugins.

"Some features are grayed out"

A few plugin features (customizing, certain advanced tools) only work in Cowork, not in plain chat. If something is grayed out, switch to the Cowork tab.

"It asks me to sign in to something"

That is a connector. Some plugins link to other tools (email, Drive, a promo platform) and need your permission once. Sign in and approve, and you only do it the first time.

"My plugin isn't showing up to run"

Confirm it shows as installed in Customize then Plugins, then start a fresh message and type "/" again. If it still hides, restart the app.

Do I need a paid Claude plan to use plugins?

Yes. Plugins require a paid Claude plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise). The free plan does not support plugins.

What is Claude Cowork?

Cowork is a workspace inside the Claude desktop app where you can install and customize plugins, use hooks, and run sub-agents. Some of those features are grayed out in regular chat, which is why plugins are best used in Cowork.

How do I install a plugin I bought or received?

Open Customize, then Plugins, in the sidebar. If you were given a link, add it and install from there. If you received a plugin file, use the option to add a custom plugin and select the file. The plugin then appears in your list.

How do I run an installed plugin?

Type a forward slash or click the plus button in Cowork or chat to see the skills from your installed plugins, then pick the one you want to run.

Is it safe to install plugins?

Only install plugins from sources you trust, because a plugin can include tools that run on your computer. Plugins from Claude's official catalog and from creators you trust are the safe path.