How to Use Claude Projects for Context

Learn to set up and use Claude Projects to maintain conversation context, share knowledge across chats, and improve AI responses with custom instructions.

1. Create a new project. Navigate to claude.ai and click the Projects tab in the left sidebar. Click Create Project and enter a descriptive name like 'Marketing Campaign' or 'Code Review Assistant'. Add a brief description explaining the project's purpose.
2. Add custom instructions. In the Project Instructions field, define Claude's role and behavior for this project. Write specific instructions like 'You are a senior developer reviewing Python code for security vulnerabilities' or 'Act as a marketing strategist focused on B2B SaaS companies.' Include any style preferences, output formats, or constraints.
3. Upload relevant documents. Click Add Content and upload files relevant to your project. Supported formats include PDF, TXT, CSV, DOCX, and code files. Upload style guides, documentation, data files, or reference materials Claude should consider in responses. Each project supports up to 10 documents.
4. Start conversations within the project. Click Start Chatting to begin your first conversation in the project. Claude automatically applies your custom instructions and has access to all uploaded documents. Each message can reference the project context without you repeating background information.
5. Reference uploaded documents directly. Ask Claude to analyze, summarize, or extract information from your uploaded files by mentioning them specifically. Use phrases like 'Based on the marketing_strategy.pdf document' or 'Following the coding standards in our style_guide.md.' Claude can quote, analyze, and synthesize information across multiple documents.
6. Create multiple conversations within the project. Return to the project overview and click New Chat to start additional conversations. Each conversation maintains access to the same project context and documents while keeping separate chat histories. Use different conversations for different aspects of your project.
7. Edit project settings as needed. Click the gear icon next to your project name to modify instructions, add or remove documents, or change the project description. Updates apply to new conversations immediately, while existing conversations retain their original context until manually updated.