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Projects are persistent workspaces.

A regular Claude conversation is ephemeral – it exists for that session, and its context does not automatically carry into new conversations. A Project is different: it is a named, persistent workspace where conversations share uploaded reference files and standing instructions that are always active.

When you open a Project and start a new conversation, Claude already has access to everything in that Project – the files you uploaded, the instructions you wrote for it – without any re-establishment. This context persists indefinitely until you change it.

What a Project contains.

• Project instructions: Standing instructions specific to this Project, separate from your account-level Custom Instructions. Example: "All work in this Project is for the Acme Corp account. Always use formal tone. The primary contact is Sarah Johnson, VP of Marketing."
• Uploaded files: Documents, PDFs, reference materials, brand guides, style sheets, product descriptions, or any other files relevant to this work area. Claude can reference these in any conversation in the Project.
• Conversation history: All conversations you have had within the Project are saved and accessible in the Project's conversation list.

When to use a Project vs a regular conversation.

Use a Project when:

• You have reference material you would otherwise upload repeatedly (style guides, product documentation, brand guidelines, past deliverables, research files)
• You are doing ongoing work that benefits from accumulated history
• The work has a specific context, client, or focus that is distinct from your other work
• You want to keep related conversations organized in one place

Use a regular conversation when:

• The task is one-time and self-contained
• You do not have persistent reference material for it
• It does not relate to an ongoing work area

Practical Project organization.

Think of Projects as the equivalent of project folders on your desktop – each one is a distinct work area with its own reference materials and ongoing history.

Useful Project types:

• One per active client or account
• One per major ongoing project or initiative
• One for personal use (personal goals, learning, non-work research)
• One for frequently-used reference materials that apply across work (style guide, personal brand voice, templates)

Keep Projects current: when a project ends or a client relationship concludes, archive or close the Project rather than leaving stale Projects cluttering your workspace.

Project instructions vs Custom Instructions.

Custom Instructions apply to everything – they are who you are and how you work. Project instructions are scoped to that specific Project – they are what this specific work area requires. Both are active simultaneously when you work in a Project. Custom Instructions provide the general layer; Project instructions provide the specific layer.