I let Claude control my browser and automated tasks that used to take hours of manual work

I've officially reached my limit with repetitive work. And this time, I mean all of it. We live in a world where AI tools like Claude can handle tasks that once demanded hours of clicking, copying, and babysitting a browser. So why keep doing it myself? That question kept nagging at me until I finally decided to hand over my browser chores to Claude. The tasks that used to eat up large chunks of my day now run on autopilot, freeing me to focus on what actually requires my attention.

My morning hunt now has an assistant

It sniffs out everything important while I focus on what matters

My work depends on staying on top of trends, and when I spot and act on stories quickly, it definitely works in my favor. A big part of my day involves keeping an eye on what’s happening in tech, tracking new developments, and figuring out what's worth covering at any given moment.

I genuinely enjoy that process, but it can also mean spending a lot of time hopping between websites, checking for updates, and making sure I haven’t missed anything important. That’s where Claude has become surprisingly helpful. I’ve given it access to my Chrome browser, and it now does much of the legwork for me. It scans the sites I follow every day on Feedly, pulls together the latest headlines, and sends me the relevant URLs in one place.

With everything neatly collected, I can focus on what actually matters: going through the stories, identifying the ones worth paying attention to, and quickly deciding what to share with clients when the need arises. It saves me considerable time without taking me away from the part of the job I enjoy most.

A price tracker with better patience than me

Claude scans my favorite stores and serves up the best deals

Now, outside of work, I also enjoy online shopping. And honestly, who doesn't like finding a good deal? I certainly do. The only problem is that comparing prices across multiple websites can quickly become tedious, especially when you're checking the same stores repeatedly.

So I've handed that job to Claude as well. It keeps an eye on the websites I usually shop from, compares prices for the products I'm interested in, and presents everything in a simple table with links. Instead of opening half a dozen tabs and manually checking each store, I get all the information in one place.

Once I've decided which retailer offers the best deal, it's as simple as clicking the link and making the purchase. It probably sounds like a small thing, and it may not be something everyone does regularly, but because I shop online fairly often, those saved minutes add up quickly. More importantly, it removes the repetitive part of the process and lets me focus on whether I actually want the product in the first place.

Claude does the digging for me

It gathers the breadcrumbs, but I still follow the trail myself

Research is another big part of my day. Whenever I’m writing about something, I like to understand the context before I start putting words on a page. Knowing the background, the key developments, and the broader picture helps me make sense of the topic and gives me confidence that I’m heading in the right direction.

This is another area where Claude has become really useful. I use it to gather information, surface relevant sources, and help me build a foundation before I begin writing. It saves me from spending hours digging through search results just to get up to speed on a subject.

That said, I never treat its output as the final word. Claude handles much of the initial research, but I still make it a point to review the sources myself, verify the information, and fill in any gaps. After all, AI can get things wrong, and when you're writing for other people to read, accuracy matters. By the time I sat down to write, I already had a solid understanding of the topic, and I'd also done enough fact-checking to trust the information I was working with.

The setup is easier than choosing a Netflix show

The easiest coworker I've ever onboarded

I know, you're probably wondering: "Okay, but how are you actually letting Claude do all of this?" The good news is that getting started is surprisingly straightforward. The only requirement is a paid Claude subscription. Browser access is available on Claude Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans, so as long as you're on one of those, you're good to go. After that, the setup takes just a few minutes:

1. Install the Claude extension from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Sign in with your Claude account.
3. Pin the extension to your browser and grant the necessary permissions.
4. Open Claude's side panel and tell it what you'd like it to do.

That's really it. Once set up, Claude works from the side panel while you browse. It can see the pages you're looking at, understand the context, and carry out tasks when you ask it to.

What I particularly like is that you're still in control. You decide which websites Claude can access, and you can set it to ask for approval before taking action. In that mode, Claude first shows you its plan, waits for the green light, and then gets to work. Unless it encounters something unexpected or potentially sensitive, it won't keep stopping to ask for permission every few minutes.

There's also a handy shortcut feature. If you find yourself repeating the same task regularly, you can perform the workflow once, save it as a shortcut, and let Claude run it again whenever needed. Better yet, those shortcuts can be scheduled to run automatically daily, weekly, or monthly. For things like monitoring websites, gathering updates, or checking prices, which can save a surprising amount of time.

One thing worth keeping in mind, though, is that browser use is still in beta. Claude is acting on your behalf, so it's important to review permissions carefully and be mindful of where you grant access. I wouldn't hand over the keys to every sensitive website without thinking twice, and it's worth taking a few minutes to understand the safety settings before letting it loose on your browser.

Letting go of a few tasks isn't so scary

And that's pretty much it. The more I use Claude, the more I find myself handing over the repetitive, time-consuming tasks that used to eat away at my day. What started as a small experiment has gradually become a regular part of how I work, research, and even shop online.

I'm constantly tweaking workflows, trying new automations, and finding ways to make Claude more useful. Not every task is worth delegating, of course, but the ones that are can free up a surprising amount of time and mental energy.

The funny thing is that I used to want complete control over every step of the process. Now, I've become much more comfortable letting Claude handle the routine work. So far, that trade-off has worked remarkably well in my favor.