Vanessa Chang·@thinkwithv
A Field Guide No. 2 · Memory

claude
memory

the 3-layer setup

Antique engraving of a card catalog with a hand filing a card into a drawerClaude logo
The one idea

Claude remembers you now — across chat and Cowork. Most people never turn it on, so they explain themselves from scratch every time. Turn it on once. It works in three layers.

Compass rose from the Catalan Atlas, 1375 (public domain)

What it knows about you

Turn it on and Claude keeps one memory about you — the same memory in chat and in Cowork. One brain, everywhere.

SettingsMemory
Generate memory from chats
Search and reference chats
Include sensitive topics in memory
View and edit your memory
Antique engraving of a Chinese-takeout oyster-pail carton

Bring your ChatGPT memory

Optional. If you've spent months in ChatGPT, move that memory over in one paste. Starting fresh? Skip it.

SettingsMemoryImport memory
Paste the code block from ChatGPT here…
Add to memoryexperimental
I'm moving to another service and need to export my data. List every memory you have stored about me, as well as any context you've learned about me from past conversations. Output everything in a single code block so I can easily copy it. Format each entry as: [date saved, if available] - memory content. Make sure to cover all of the following — preserve my words verbatim where possible: Instructions I've given you about how to respond (tone, format, style, "always do X", "never do Y"). Personal details: name, location, job, family, interests. Projects, goals, and recurring topics. Tools, languages, and frameworks I use. Preferences and corrections I've made to your behavior. Any other stored context not covered above. Do not summarize, group, or omit any entries.
Antique engraving of a manila file folder

Memory per project

Every project gets its own memory too — sitting on top of what Claude already knows about you.

ClaudeProjectProject memory
Marketing siteproject
Summary: terse replies, Next.js, ships Fridays.
Memory is scoped to this project.

Keeping it clean

Housekeeping
1 · Read it

View and edit your memory shows your Topics — what Claude thinks you are.

2 · Fix it

Edit or delete any Topic that's wrong or out of date.

3 · Pause memory

Keeps everything it has, and stops writing anything new.

4 · Reset memory

Wipes everything — including your project memories.

Set it up once, and every chat starts out already knowing you — no more starting from zero.

Compass rose: Catalan Atlas, 1375 · public domain. Engravings: public domain.

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