How to Use Claude Projects

If you keep pasting the same background information into Claude every time you start a chat, Projects will save you a lot of effort. A Project is a workspace that remembers your instructions and reference files across every conversation inside it. Here is how to use one.

What a Project gives you

A Project has two parts that persist across all its chats:

Custom instructions - how Claude should behave in this Project (tone, role, rules, what to always do or avoid).
Project knowledge - files and text you upload once that Claude can draw on in every chat.

That means you set your context a single time, and every conversation in the Project starts already knowing it.

Step 1: Create a Project

In Claude, create a new Project and give it a clear name for the work it covers, for example “Newsletter” or “Client X website copy.” Keeping one Project per distinct job keeps its knowledge focused and relevant.

Step 2: Add custom instructions

Write instructions that apply to everything you’ll do here. For example: “You are writing for [brand]. Keep the tone warm and plain. Always suggest a subject line. Never use hype words.” These apply automatically to every chat in the Project.

Step 3: Add knowledge

Upload the reference material Claude should always have: a style guide, product notes, examples of good past work, templates. Now you can ask “write a launch email” and Claude already knows your voice and details, without you re-pasting anything.

Step 4: Work in chats

Start new chats inside the Project for each task. They all share the same instructions and knowledge, but stay separate conversations, so your work stays organized and consistent.

A good habit

Keep Project knowledge tidy and current. Remove outdated files and add new examples as your standards evolve, so Claude’s context always reflects your latest, best work.

Keep going

Projects are one of the features that turn Claude from a chatbot into a real work tool. Our ChatGPT and AI course covers using AI for real, repeatable workflows, and you can start with the free AI lessons. Pair Projects with effective prompts for the best results.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Claude Project?

A Project is a dedicated workspace that holds custom instructions and reference files (its knowledge) that apply to every chat inside it. Instead of re-explaining your context each time, you set it once and every conversation in the Project uses it.

What should I put in a Project's knowledge?

Reference material Claude should always have on hand: brand or style guides, product details, past examples, templates, or documents you refer to often. Then each chat can draw on them without you re-uploading.

When should I use a Project instead of a normal chat?

Use a Project for ongoing, repeatable work where the context stays the same, like writing for one brand, working on one codebase, or answering questions about a set of documents. Use a normal chat for quick one-off questions.