If you want to centrally manage materials and long-term tasks, the easiest way is to use Claude Projects. It keeps frequently used files, project notes, and conversations in one place, so you don’t have to repeatedly paste background context when asking follow-up questions. Below is a walkthrough of Claude Projects in the order of “entry → create → add materials → reuse → troubleshoot”.
Entering Claude Projects: first make sure you’re using the right entry point and that your account status is correct
On the left sidebar of the Claude web app, you can usually see the “Projects” entry. Click it to view or create a new Claude Project. If it doesn’t appear in the sidebar, first confirm you’re logged into the same account, then refresh the page or reopen the browser tab. Corporate networks or browser extensions that block content can also cause the Claude Projects button to not show up; you can try verifying in an incognito window first.
Creating a new Claude Project: how to write the name, goals, and project instructions
After clicking “New project,” first give the Claude Project a name that’s instantly recognizable, such as “Thesis Writing” or “Product Requirements Review.” Then add a short description of the project goals and the desired output format, for example, “Default output as bullet points + action list,” or “When quoting the original text, indicate the source paragraph.” These project instructions remain in effect within the Claude Project, making the style of subsequent conversations more consistent.
Adding materials to a Claude Project: file uploads and knowledge-base organization
After entering a Claude Project, upload documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and other materials in the “Knowledge” section or the attachment area, and add brief notes explaining their purpose. It’s recommended to name materials by “version + topic” to avoid messy retrieval later; for similar files, try to keep only the latest version to reduce conflicting content within the Claude Project. After uploading, first have Claude create a “summary + key terminology list” with a single instruction—this effectively creates an index for the project.
Starting chats within a Claude Project: how to reuse context without mixing tasks
Click “New chat” from the Claude Project page; the chat will automatically inherit the project instructions and the uploaded materials. When asking questions, it’s more reliable to split the request into two steps: first have Claude explain which materials it will reference, then have it produce the final output—this helps reduce omissions. For different subtasks, it’s recommended to start separate new chats and label the titles with “requirements/experiment/conclusion” to prevent the conversations within the Claude Project from becoming increasingly jumbled.
Common Claude Project issues: materials not taking effect, inaccurate citations, and privacy reminders
If it feels like Claude Projects isn’t using your files, first check whether the conversation was actually created under that project; next confirm the files were uploaded successfully and can be previewed. If citations are inaccurate, ask Claude to specify “the referenced filename + paragraph/page number,” and require it to mark uncertain parts as “cannot be confirmed from the materials.” When sensitive information is involved, try to redact it locally before adding it to a Claude Project, and regularly clean up old files and chat history that are no longer needed.
