The bot’s computer

Every bot has a real computer with a browser, a terminal, files and a desktop, so it can do work that needs more than a chat.

Watch it work

Choose Agent computer at the top of the chat to open the bot’s screen beside the conversation. Choose Open in full window for a larger view. The computer starts when a bot needs it and goes to sleep when idle; opening it wakes it.

On mobile, open the bot’s profile and choose Open computer.

Take control

Choose Take control to use the screen yourself, for example to sign in to a site. The header shows You have control until you choose Release control (Release on mobile).

When the bot hits something only you can do, such as a CAPTCHA or a code texted to your phone, it asks you to take over. The header shows Needs you. Do the step, then choose I’m done, or Skip to let the bot carry on without it.

Team or Private

In the bot’s settings under Advanced, Computer is Team or Private.

• Team (the default): bots in the space share one Team Computer, with the same files and installed tools. Each bot gets its own screen and browser, and sites you sign in to are carried over to the other bots.
• Private: the bot gets a computer of its own. Use it when files or sign-ins must not be shared with other bots.

Files

Bots save their work on the computer and send you the results as files in the chat. Every file a bot has sent is also under Artifacts in the account menu.

To have a bot react to files changing, use a routine that watches a folder.

Fix a computer

Open the computer and choose More computer actions:

• Stop computer: shut it down now. It starts again when needed.
• Update computer: save the workspace and install current software.
• Recover computer: recreate a computer that is not working.
• Reset computer: go back to the last saved workspace. Unsaved work on the computer is lost.

Use your own computer

In the desktop app, bots can also run commands on the computer the app is installed on. Turn on Let bots use this computer in Settings → General under Computers. Commands on it follow your approval settings, and the approval card offers Allow for this chat. You can remove a computer from the same list at any time.