[FEATURE] Cowork: Remove folder picker restriction to user profile directory (Windows)

[howermj]

Preflight Checklist

• I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

On Windows, the Cowork folder picker restricts project folder selection to directories under the user profile (C:\Users\<username>\). Claude Code's folder picker does not have this restriction — it allows any accessible path on the filesystem.

This is a problem for users who store projects on secondary drives, NAS mounts, or organizational paths outside the user profile (e.g., D:\Projects\, E:\Work\, or network-mapped drives). The restriction appears to be a Cowork desktop UI implementation choice rather than a platform limitation, since Claude Code (which shares the same base) does not enforce it.

Proposed Solution

Remove the user-profile-directory restriction from the Cowork folder picker on Windows. Allow users to select any directory they have read/write access to, matching Claude Code's behavior.

If there is a security or sandboxing reason for the restriction, consider:

• Allowing users to configure additional trusted root paths in settings
• Displaying a confirmation prompt when selecting folders outside the user profile
• At minimum, documenting the restriction and the rationale

Alternative Solutions

Moving the project folder under C:\Users\<username>\ works but forces an unnatural directory structure. Users with existing organizational systems, version-controlled repos on other drives, or shared network storage should not need to restructure their filesystem to accommodate a UI limitation that doesn't exist in Claude Code.

Priority

High - Significant impact on productivity

Feature Category

Configuration and settings

Use Case Example

1. I have a multi-project writing system stored at D:\Projects\Republic\ (outside my user profile).
2. I open Cowork and click "Add project folder."
3. The folder picker only shows directories under C:\Users\mike\. I cannot navigate to D:\.
4. I am forced to either move my entire project tree under my user profile or create symlinks — neither of which should be necessary.
5. Meanwhile, Claude Code lets me open D:\Projects\Republic\ with no restrictions.

Platform: Windows 11. This may not affect macOS/Linux — needs verification.

Additional Context

No response

[claude]

This is a duplicate of #24964, which was fixed as of version 1.1062.0.

[FWCorey]

Wish Claude would stop closing these or reopen the original which it closed because of 7 days no reply.

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.