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# Workbench is cooking
- URL: https://birchtree.me/blog/workbench-is-cooking/
- Published: 2026-11-11T14:22:38.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-11T14:22:38.000Z
- Author: Matt Birchler

A couple updates have gone out for [Workbench](https://workbenchapp.dev/?ref=birchtree.me) since my last update here, and while complete release notes are available in the app and on [the releases page](https://workbenchapp.dev/releases.html?ref=birchtree.me), here's a few highlights.

## Chat view is way more descriptive, and less noisy

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/31/25312b2a-2d5b-4d01-ba92-e6755efc202c/content/images/2026/11/Pasted-image-20261111081846.png)

Previously, Workbench was mostly printing the raw actions Claude was doing as if that was the most useful thing for you to see. Now you will see file changes in line and other actions will still be visible but will be described much more clearly than they were before.

## See how long Claude worked, and when it finished

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/31/25312b2a-2d5b-4d01-ba92-e6755efc202c/content/images/2026/11/Pasted-image-20261111081404.png)

Not always useful, but it's sometimes convenient to see how long the last command took to run and when it was completed. The terminal view always showed this, now the chat view does as well.

## Shell commands are visually distinct

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/31/25312b2a-2d5b-4d01-ba92-e6755efc202c/content/images/2026/11/Pasted-image-20261111081514.png)

You can run shell commands directly from the cloud interface by prefacing them with an exclamation point. Now when you start a line in the chat view with an exclamation point it will immediately become obvious you're in a different mode.

## Export/import settings

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/31/25312b2a-2d5b-4d01-ba92-e6755efc202c/content/images/2026/11/Pasted-image-20261111081705.png)

I was setting up my new Mac a few days ago and immediately realized that it would be very nice to have an easy import and export tool I can use to migrate my settings from one device to another. You can select what data you want to include in the export. Send the JSON file to your other machine and do an import to seamlessly get most of your configuration moved over.

## iPad updates coming soon

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/25/31/25312b2a-2d5b-4d01-ba92-e6755efc202c/content/images/2026/11/iPad-4-three-panes-dark.png)

I'm currently waiting on Apple to approve the update (what else is new?), but the next version coming to iOS will make the iPad app feel even more like the desktop app. You're obviously still not running Claude Code directly on the iPad, but it makes working from the iPad via a remote Mac feel much more like the full workbench experience.