Claude app
Claude App Memory: Settings, Summaries, and Controls
Claude app memory is a controllable summary layer built from chat history. It is useful for stable preferences and work context, but it should be audited before sensitive or unrelated work.
Memory from chat history is available in Claude web, Desktop, and Mobile.
The memory summary excludes chats inside Projects; Projects have separate memory spaces.
Users can view, edit, pause, or reset memory from Settings > Capabilities.
Incognito chats are not saved to Claude memory or chat history.
"Claude can now generate memory based on your chat history." Claude Help Center
What the app remembers
The Claude app memory feature is designed around a memory summary. Anthropic describes it as a synthesis of key insights across chat history, with project chats handled separately. The useful mental model is not "Claude has a database of every detail." It is "Claude has a summary it can use as context in future standalone conversations."
Examples Anthropic lists include role, projects, professional context, communication preferences, technical preferences, coding style, project details, and ongoing work. Those categories are work-oriented; they are not a promise that every fact will be retained or used.
Where to control it
The support article points users to Settings > Capabilities. From there, you can enable memory, view and edit the memory summary, pause memory, or reset memory. Reset is the destructive option: Anthropic says it permanently deletes memories, including project memories.
You can also tell Claude in chat what to remember or what to change. For durable preferences, make the instruction concrete: "remember that I prefer concise meeting summaries with decisions first" is better than "remember my style."
Incognito and deletion behavior
Incognito chats are the clean-room option. When enabled, Claude will not save the chat to memory or chat history. The same support page says deleted conversations are removed from memory synthesis and that memory updates within 24 hours after conversations are created, modified, or deleted.
For sensitive work, use both product controls and ordinary operational hygiene: confirm memory state, use incognito where appropriate, and do not paste secrets or regulated data unless your plan and policies explicitly allow it.
What not to store
Memory should hold stable collaboration context, not passwords, access tokens, private customer data, or one-off facts that will expire quickly. If a fact has a short shelf life, store it in the live project artifact instead: an issue, task tracker, runbook, or source-controlled doc.
When memory and the source of truth disagree, the source of truth should win. Memory is a convenience layer, not a records system.
FAQ
Where do I edit Claude app memory?
Use Settings > Capabilities, then View and edit memory. You can also tell Claude in chat what to remember or change.
Does incognito chat affect memory?
Yes. Claude Help says incognito chats are not saved to memory or chat history.
Primary Sources
Claude Help Center · Help Center
Use Claude's chat search and memory to build on previous context
Primary reference for Claude app memory, memory summaries, incognito behavior, settings controls, and data handling.
Accessed 2026-07-06
Claude by Anthropic · Blog
Bringing memory to teams
Launch and product context for team memory, project boundaries, and editable summaries.
Accessed 2026-07-06
Claude Help Center · Help Center
How can I create and manage projects?
Primary reference for moving chats into or out of Projects and managing project-specific memory summaries.
Accessed 2026-07-06