Tell Claude how you like to work, decide what it should remember, and connect a useful source. Then give it a specific task.
These three settings solve different problems. You can start with personal instructions and add the others when they help. Use Claude on the web ↗ to follow along.
Setup 01Tell Claude how you like to work
Use this for: preferences you want across conversations, such as your role, language, level of detail, and writing style.
Open your profile menu, go to Settings, and find Instructions for Claude. This is the account-wide setting sometimes described as personal preferences.
Adapt the example below. Keep only instructions that are helpful for most of your work.
I work as [your role] and use Claude mainly for [2–3 recurring tasks]. My audience is usually [who reads your work]. Write in [language]. Lead with the answer, then explain what matters. Use clear, natural language and avoid unnecessary jargon. Keep routine answers concise. For unfamiliar topics, explain the idea with one concrete example. If a missing detail would materially change the answer, ask me. Otherwise, state reasonable assumptions and continue. Separate facts from estimates. Flag uncertainty and tell me when an important claim needs verification. Do not invent sources.
Try it: ask Claude to explain a topic in your field to a new colleague. Does the tone and level of detail fit? If not, change one instruction and try again.
Put a single client’s requirements or a temporary task brief in the relevant chat or project. Account-wide instructions should stay useful across your conversations.
Official reference: Claude’s personalization features
Setup 02Choose what Claude should remember
Use this for: useful context you would otherwise repeat, such as your ongoing work or the audience you write for.
Go to Settings → Memory. Review Generate memory from chats and the saved topics. Memory can already be on for individual accounts; work accounts can require an owner to enable it.
Ask Claude to remember a small amount of useful context. Use your own details in this example.
Please remember this context for future conversations: I work on [project or type of work]. My main audience is [audience]. I usually need help with [recurring task]. Tell me what you saved, so I can check that it is accurate.
Try it: inspect the saved topic in Settings → Memory, then ask about that context in a fresh conversation. Edit or delete anything inaccurate or no longer useful.
Memory and past-chat search are separate controls. Don’t rely on either as a complete record: provide exact figures, dates, and source documents when they matter.
Use an incognito chat when you don’t want a conversation added to memory or chat history. On a work account, your organization’s retention rules still apply.
Official reference: Chat search and memory
Setup 03Connect one tool you actually use
Use this for: working with information in another service, instead of repeatedly copying it into Claude.
Open Customize → Connectors, use the add button, and choose a service. Read what it can do, select Connect or Install, then follow the sign-in prompts. Availability depends on the service and your organization.
Start with one source you use often. For example, a document connector is useful when your task begins with “find the latest brief.”
Using my connected document service, find [exact document title]. Give me: 1. The source link and any visible last-updated date. 2. A five-bullet summary of the document. 3. Anything you could not access or verify. Only read and summarize. Do not edit files, send messages, or create anything in the connected service.
Try it: open the source link and check a few claims against the document. If Claude can’t find it, check the connected account and your access to the original file.
Some connectors can change data or send messages. Review their permissions, and use an approved work account for company information. A connector can only reach material your source account can access.
Official reference: Set up and manage connectors
Put the setup to work
Now give Claude a task with an audience, a source, and a definition of a useful result.
Help me prepare a short project update for [audience]. Use [exact connected document or attached file] as the source. Apply my writing preferences and relevant project context, but prioritize the current source if anything conflicts. Include: progress, blockers, and next actions. Stay under 250 words. Link to the source and flag missing owners or dates. Draft it here for me to review.
Compare the draft with what you would actually send. If the format is something you’ll need every week, that’s a good candidate for a reusable skill.
You’re ready when…
- Your personal instructions reflect the way you want to work.
- You have reviewed memory and chosen whether to use it.
- You have tested a useful connector, or supplied a file directly.
- You can trace the important claims in the output back to a source.
If your screen looks different
Claude’s menus change. Look for the feature name as well as the menu path, and use the official pages below for the latest instructions.
Missing a work-account feature? Ask your organization’s Claude admin whether it is enabled.
Don’t have a connector? Paste the relevant text or attach an approved file. You can still make the task specific and useful.
Memory isn’t available? Start your chat with a short context paragraph. You don’t need every setting to get started.
Keep learning, from the source
These are the official references for the three setup steps.
Personalize ClaudeClaude Help Center · Account-wide and project instructions.Understand Claude’s memoryClaude Help Center · Saved context, controls, and incognito chats.Connect your apps to ClaudeClaude Help Center · Setup, permissions, and troubleshooting.