5 Claude settings to change first
So Claude knows who you are, remembers your preferences and writes like you.
Tools in this guide: Claude
HANDLYTECH GUIDE
Five settings that make Claude more personal, consistent, and useful for your real work.
Do these five things before relying on Claude. You will spend less time repeating yourself and get answers that better match your preferences, voice, projects, and tools.
Step · Setting · Why it matters
01 · Profile preferences · Teach Claude who you are and how you work.
02 · Memory · Carry useful preferences and context between chats.
03 · Writing style · Make drafts sound closer to you.
04 · Projects · Keep recurring work, files, and instructions together.
05 · Connected tools · Let Claude work with information from your apps.
Before you begin: Feature names and locations may vary slightly by plan, workspace settings, device, or rollout. Look for the same feature name if your menu is arranged differently.
01 Teach Claude Who You Are
Create account-wide context that Claude can consider in new conversations.
Where to go: Claude → Settings → Profile or Personal preferences
1. Open Claude and select your profile icon or account menu.
2. Open Settings, then find Profile, Personal preferences, or Profile instructions.
3. Add the details that should apply across your conversations.
4. Save the changes, then start a new chat to test them.
What to include
- What you do and who you create or work for
- How you prefer answers to be structured
- The tools and platforms you use most often
- Recurring constraints, terminology, and output formats
- What you normally need help with
Copy this interview prompt
Interview me so you can write my Claude profile preferences. Ask one focused question at a time about my work, audience, goals, tools, recurring tasks, preferred response style, and anything you should avoid. When you have enough information, produce one concise profile section that I can paste into Claude settings.
Keep it durable: Include preferences that stay true across many chats. Put task-specific instructions inside a Project instead.
02 Turn On Memory
Let Claude retain useful preferences and project details between conversations.
Where to go: Claude → Settings → Memory
1. Open Memory in Settings and enable it if the option is available.
2. Review what Claude remembers and remove anything outdated or incorrect.
3. Tell Claude explicitly when something important should be remembered.
Useful message
Remember that I prefer concise answers, practical steps, and copy-ready outputs. Ask before making assumptions that could materially change the result.
Privacy check: Do not store passwords, payment details, private keys, confidential client data, or anything you would not want retained. Memory availability can depend on your plan or workspace.
03 Create Your Writing Style
Give Claude real examples so its drafts better match your natural voice.
Where to go: Claude → Style selector or Settings → Styles
1. Open the style selector and choose the option to create or customize a style.
2. Add several strong examples of your writing, such as emails, scripts, captions, or posts.
3. Use examples written by you, not AI drafts you would never publish.
4. Name the style clearly and test it on a short piece of content.
5. Correct the result, then update the style instructions if the same problem repeats.
Style analysis prompt
Analyze these writing samples and identify my tone, sentence length, rhythm, vocabulary, formatting habits, calls to action, and phrases or punctuation I avoid. Then write concise style instructions that another AI can follow. Do not copy the subject matter from the samples; learn only the writing style.
Best sample mix
Sample · What it shows
3 to 5 emails · Shows your professional tone and natural phrasing.
3 to 5 scripts · Shows pacing, hooks, and spoken rhythm.
3 to 5 posts · Shows formatting, captions, and calls to action.
Corrections · Shows what you dislike and want Claude to avoid.
Test before trusting: A custom style improves consistency, but always review facts, tone, and claims before publishing or sending.
04 Create a Project
Give recurring work a dedicated home with its own context, files, and instructions.
Where to go: Claude → Projects → New Project
1. Create one Project for a recurring area of work, client, campaign, course, or research topic.
2. Add clear Project instructions that explain the goal, audience, workflow, and output rules.
3. Upload only the reference files Claude needs, using current and clearly named versions.
4. Start related conversations inside that Project so the relevant context stays together.
Project instruction template
Purpose: [what this project is for]. Audience: [who the work is for]. My role: [what I do]. Output rules: [tone, length, format, language]. Reference files: [what each file contains]. Workflow: [how work should be completed]. Always: [required checks]. Never: [things to avoid]. Ask before: [decisions that require my approval].
Example for a content creator
Purpose: Help me research and produce short-form technology content. Audience: People who want useful AI and tech tools explained quickly. Output rules: Start with the strongest practical benefit. Use short spoken sentences and clear steps. Keep scripts natural for voice-over. End with one direct call to action. Always verify product names, prices, availability, and feature claims. Never invent results, use vague hype, or add tools that are not relevant. Ask before changing the core concept, sponsor requirements, or promised deliverables.
One project, one purpose: Avoid placing unrelated work in the same Project. Narrow projects produce cleaner context and fewer accidental assumptions.
05 Connect Your Tools
Give Claude access to relevant information without manually copying everything into each chat.
Where to go: Claude → Settings → Connectors or Integrations
1. Open Connectors or Integrations and review the services available to your account.
2. Connect only the tools you intend to use, then review the requested permissions.
3. Test each connection with a narrow request before relying on it for important work.
4. Disconnect tools you no longer use and periodically review access.
Common connections
Tool · Use
Gmail · Find relevant messages, summarize threads, and prepare replies.
Google Drive · Locate and work with documents and reference files.
Google Calendar · Review events and use schedule context where supported.
Slack · Search conversations and surface relevant team context.
Notion · Use pages and workspace knowledge where the connector is available.
Other tools · Available connectors vary by plan, workspace, and administrator settings.
Permission rule: Grant the minimum access needed. Verify important information at the original source before sending, publishing, scheduling, or making a decision.
Final Setup Checklist
- [ ] Profile preferences describe who you are and how you work
- [ ] Memory is enabled and reviewed
- [ ] A custom style has been tested with real writing samples
- [ ] Recurring work has a focused Project
- [ ] Only necessary tools are connected
Save this guide and update your setup as your work changes.
Created by Ayham Joukhadar • @handlytech
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