Setting up your spare Mac for Claude Code to control, a step-by-step guide
This guide provides instructions for configuring a secondary Mac to run Claude Code in an isolated environment. The author emphasizes the security benefits of separating AI agent tasks from a primary workstation.
Why it matters
As AI agents gain more control over local systems, secure deployment practices become essential for developers.
Here’s a full step-by-step guide on how to turn your spare Mac into an always-on machine Claude Code can fully control, with computer use enabled. You’ll be able to talk to it from your phone through the Claude app, or from your main Mac over SSH.
I wanted to create a separate environment Claude Code can control on its own, so I can delegate tasks I don’t necessarily want to run on my own machine - certain types of research tasks, and development tasks.
Claude Code, especially with the --dangerously-skip-permissions flag on, carries inherent risk when run on your main machine. You can eliminate / mitigate these risks by creating a separate environment on your spare Mac with everything it needs to have access to.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in