Projects

What it is

A project is a container for work that spans more than one conversation. Instead of re-explaining yourself every time, you put the context — instructions, reference files, running memory — into a project, and Claude keeps it in mind for every chat and task inside it.

Anthropic now also documents a new Projects beta, rolling out first to selected Pro and Max Claude Code accounts. A project becomes one conversation whose work can split into parallel cloud threads, with a Library for input and output files. Existing projects continue to work. This beta was not visible on the inspected account.

There used to be two kinds: projects you made in Chat, and projects you made in Cowork. They are now one thing. The desktop Projects page carries a banner saying so: “Projects made in Chat and Cowork are now all in one place.” A project you create is saved to your Claude account and follows you between devices; a project you create from a folder on your computer stays on that computer, which is what lets Cowork tasks read and write files in it.

Where to find it

On desktop

Sidebar → Projects, the second row of the sidebar in Claude mode. The inspected Code sidebar has no Projects row, but Anthropic documents a new Projects beta rolling out to selected Pro and Max Code accounts.
The page header reads Projects and carries Search projects, Sort projects and a New project button at the top right.

On the web

claude.ai/projects for the list — the sidebar’s Projects row points at claude.ai/cowork/projects, and both routes resolve.
A single project opens at claude.ai/project/{id}, with a Share button in the header.

How to use it

Create a project

New project on the Projects page starts the flow. On desktop it offers three routes:

Start from scratch — set up a new folder with instructions and files.
Import from Claude project — search for an existing chat project, then name the new project and choose where to save it.
Use existing folder — point Claude at a folder you already work from, add instructions, attach files.

On the web there is no folder step: name the project, write its instructions, and upload files.

Work inside a project

On the web, a project page is a chat surface in its own right — it has its own composer and model control, so you can start work without leaving it. Chats you start inside a project carry the project’s instructions automatically.

Use the right rail

On the web, a project’s right rail groups everything the project carries. Two of its controls are worth knowing about because they aren’t obvious:

Add files — puts reference documents into the project’s context.
Add scheduled task — sets up a scheduled task from inside the project, so the task runs with the project’s context.

Each project also carries its own instructions and its own memory, so Claude remembers what it did in that project without carrying it into your other work.

Good to know

Free accounts can create five projects. Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise have no cap.
Instructions are powerful. They become standing context for every chat and task in the project. Treat them like a CLAUDE.md for that body of work.
Context can be more than files. A project’s context can point at local folders, chat projects, or URLs.
Large knowledge bases switch to RAG automatically. When a project’s knowledge approaches the context-window limit, Claude switches into RAG mode and retrieves the most relevant chunks on demand instead of loading everything — up to ten times more content, with a visual indicator showing the project is RAG-enabled. It switches back if the knowledge drops below the threshold. RAG for projects is on paid plans only (Pro, Max, Team, Enterprise).
Team and Enterprise can share projects. Two permission levels: Can view (read and chat) and Can edit (modify the project). People are emailed when a project is shared with them, and shared projects appear in a tab of their own.

What’s changed recently

2026-09-13 — Chat projects and Cowork projects are now one list. The desktop Projects page carries a “New” banner reading “Projects made in Chat and Cowork are now all in one place.” The help centre now says projects you create are saved to your Claude account and travel between devices, while a project created from a folder on your computer stays on that computer — so the old “a desktop project is a folder on disk” framing has gone. Sharing permission levels are now Can view / Can edit (previously documented as “Can use” / “Can edit”), and RAG for projects is now paid-plans-only rather than available on the free plan. On web, a project’s right rail exposes Add files and Add scheduled task. The desktop path is Sidebar → Projects; the Code side of the app has no Projects row.
2026-04-18 — Cross-referenced with official help-center articles; added sources.