Yes, a Computer Use Agent（CUA） can be restricted to specific applications by enforcing boundaries on where it is allowed to observe, interact, or act. CUAs operate based on screen content, so the restriction layer usually checks which window or process is currently active before the agent takes action. If the detected window is not part of an approved application list, the CUA can pause execution, refuse actions, or switch into a safe idle mode. This prevents the agent from interacting with personal apps, system settings, or sensitive tools outside its assigned workspace.
Developers can implement restrictions using OS-level APIs to detect active window titles, process identifiers, or application bundles. For example, the CUA may only operate when the foreground application is a CRM tool, an ERP dashboard, or a browser window with a specific hostname. If the agent is deployed in enterprises, administrators can enforce containerized environments or dedicated virtual desktops so that the CUA only ever sees approved software. These architectural controls create a strong isolation boundary that reduces risk and improves compliance.
In more advanced setups, CUAs can store embeddings of allowed screens or application layouts in a vector database such as Milvus or Zilliz Cloud. When the agent captures a new screen, it performs similarity search to verify that the current visual state matches one of the approved application categories. This is useful in cases where multiple apps share similar UI elements or when the same app displays very different layouts depending on user mode. Vector-based validation adds another layer of precision to app-level restrictions while maintaining flexibility in dynamic environments.