Claude Projects let you keep related chats, documents, and instructions together in one workspace. Instead of re-explaining the same background every time, you set up a project once and start new chats inside it.
Does this affect you?
Use this if you use Claude on the web or desktop app and want a dedicated workspace for research, writing, contracts, planning, studying, or a team project.
Create and set up a project
Setup is quick, and the project can be renamed or archived later.
- Open Claude.ai or the Claude desktop app and sign in.
- Open Projects from the sidebar, then choose Create project or the plus button.
- Give the project a specific name, such as Thesis Research, House Renovation, or Brand Style Guide.
- Add a short description if prompted so Claude understands what the workspace is for.
- Upload relevant files through Add content or the upload option, such as PDFs, text documents, spreadsheets, policies, or drafts.
- Add custom instructions for the project, such as tone, role, level of detail, or audience.
- Start a chat from inside the project so the shared files and instructions are available.
What to put in a project
A focused project works better than a catch-all folder.
- Add documents you will reference repeatedly, such as a contract, research paper, style guide, class notes, or project brief.
- Keep the file set manageable and clearly related to the project. Too many loose documents can make answers less focused.
- Use project instructions for standing behavior, such as patient tutor, concise editor, or construction-aware assistant. Put one-time facts or questions in the chat itself.
- Start separate chats for separate subtopics inside the same project so each conversation stays readable.
- Remove old drafts, outdated price lists, expired policies, and other stale files before they pollute later answers.
More control
Team projects can be shared
On Claude Team or Enterprise plans, projects may be shareable with teammates so everyone works from the same files and instructions instead of building separate setups.
There are content limits
Each project has limits on how much material Claude can use. If you hit those limits, remove less relevant files or split the work into multiple projects. Free accounts usually have smaller limits than Pro or Team.
Project chats do not all merge together
Shared files and project instructions carry across chats inside the project, but one chat’s conversation history does not automatically become part of another chat unless the product provides a way to reference or move it.
Sources
- Anthropic Help Center – Claude Projects (2026)
- Anthropic – Introducing Projects for Claude.ai (2025)
- Anthropic Help Center – Claude plans and features (2026)