The Manus Cloud Computer is a dedicated, persistent virtual machine in the cloud that allows Manus to run your applications, bots, and scripts 24/7. It represents a significant upgrade from the standard temporary sandbox, offering an environment that stays active even when you are not actively interacting with the agent.
How It Differs from the Temporary Sandbox
By default, when you give Manus a task, it operates in a temporary sandbox. This environment is perfect for data analysis, writing Python scripts, creating documents, and building web apps. However, once the task is complete, the sandbox is eventually closed, and while your outputs are saved to your chat history, the underlying environment does not persist.
The Cloud Computer, on the other hand, features a persistent file system and always-on operation. Files, installed tools, and running processes remain active between sessions. This means you can ask Manus to install a database, deploy a web scraper that runs every hour, or host a 24/7 Discord bot, and it will keep running indefinitely.
Cloud Computer vs. Manus Desktop ("My Computer")
It is important to distinguish the Cloud Computer from the "My Computer" (Desktop App) feature:
Manus Desktop ("My Computer"): Connects Manus to your personal, physical local machine. It uses your local files and your computer's processing power.
Cloud Computer: A fully isolated, cloud-hosted virtual machine running Ubuntu Linux. It does not use your local hardware resources and operates entirely independently of your physical device.
Automatic Assignment vs. Manual Setup
You do not always need to manually configure a Cloud Computer. Manus is designed to be intelligent; when you assign a task that requires persistence—such as "build and host a 24/7 Telegram bot"—Manus will automatically determine that a Cloud Computer is needed and will deploy it accordingly, provided you have an active plan.
Because it operates entirely via command-line instructions without a graphical user interface (GUI), you can achieve complex technical setups by simply describing your goals in plain English.
Common related FAQs:
What is the difference between the temporary sandbox and the Cloud Computer?
Do I need to know how to code to use the Cloud Computer?
How is the Cloud Computer different from Manus Desktop?
Does the Cloud Computer have a graphical interface?
Will Manus automatically use the Cloud Computer for my tasks?