Make Claude Think 10x Harder With Extended Thinking

There's a way to make Claude think 10x harder about your problem. Most people never turn it on.

It's called extended thinking. Give Claude something complex, like a tricky code problem, a strategy question, or a multi-step analysis, and it actually pauses and reasons through it step by step before responding. (Revolutionary concept: thinking before talking. Some humans should try it.)

Here's the 30-second version:

What You Actually Get

Think of it like asking someone to take their time instead of blurting the first answer that comes to mind. It takes longer, sometimes noticeably longer. The output is dramatically better.

You'll see Claude working through the logic, considering edge cases, catching its own mistakes before they reach you. That last part alone is worth the wait.

When to Use It (And When Not To)

For simple questions, skip it. You don't need deep reasoning to convert a time zone. For anything where you'd want a human to actually think before answering, turn it on.

A quick response is a rough draft. An extended thinking response is the final answer.

This is part 8 of the 20-part Cowork series. All 20 concepts are in the full guide.

Next hard problem you have, flip it on and compare. You won't go back.