Claude memory field guide

What Claude remembers, where it lives, and how to keep it useful.

A source-grounded map of Claude app memory, Project memory, Claude Code CLAUDE.md, auto memory, and persistent context hygiene.

Start with the memory map Claude Code guide
A digital garden map of connected Claude memory notes
Memory works best as a maintained map: scoped, dated, connected, and pruned.

Decision map

Choose the right memory surface

The fastest way to avoid memory confusion is to choose by scope before writing anything down.

Claude app

I want Claude to remember me across chats.

Use app memory settings, inspect the memory summary, and choose incognito for clean-room conversations.

Claude Projects

I want memory separated by client or initiative.

Use project memory boundaries, project instructions, and project knowledge deliberately.

Claude Code

I want Claude to remember how this repo works.

Use CLAUDE.md for human-written rules and auto memory for learned local notes.

Debugging

Claude is ignoring or misusing memory.

Check whether memory is enabled, loaded, specific, and free of conflicts.

Quotable

Memory is a summary, not a transcript.

Claude app memory works through an editable memory summary built from chat history.

Quotable

CLAUDE.md is context, not enforcement.

Use hooks or settings for hard requirements that must run regardless of model choice.

Quotable

Auto memory is useful only while it stays current.

Audit local Markdown memory after migrations, stale assumptions, and sensitive work.

Guide library

All pages

View source bibliography

Start here

What Is Claude Memory?

A plain-language map of Claude app memory, Claude Code memory, project memory, and developer-platform memory.

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Claude app

Claude App Memory: Settings, Summaries, and Controls

How Claude app memory works across web, desktop, and mobile, including memory summaries, incognito chats, data exports, and reset controls.

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Project boundaries

Claude Project Memory: Boundaries, Instructions, and RAG

How Claude project memory summaries differ from profile instructions, project instructions, and project knowledge retrieval.

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Terminal memory

Claude Code Memory: The Working Map

The practical map of Claude Code memory: CLAUDE.md, CLAUDE.local.md, .claude/rules, auto memory, and /memory.

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Instruction files

CLAUDE.md Guide: What to Put In It and Where

A practical, source-grounded guide to writing CLAUDE.md files for project instructions, local preferences, imports, and AGENTS.md bridges.

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Claude-written notes

Claude Code Auto Memory: Storage, Limits, and Audits

How Claude Code auto memory works, where MEMORY.md lives, what loads at session start, and how to audit or clean it.

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Maintenance

Claude Memory Hygiene: Keep Persistent Context Useful

A maintenance guide for keeping Claude memory concise, current, scoped, and safe across app memory and Claude Code memory.

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Diagnostics

Claude Memory Troubleshooting

A diagnostic checklist for Claude memory not loading, Claude ignoring CLAUDE.md, stale auto memory, compaction surprises, and project boundary mistakes.

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Freshness surface

Claude Memory Freshness Log

A dated update log for Claude memory behavior, source checks, and future changes to Claude app and Claude Code memory.

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