Let it ask you first
For anything important, end with this line.
"Ask me 3 questions before you start."
Guide 2 · Claude
Claude, set up safely and used well
A one-page starter for first-time users. Nine setup steps, a map of the screen on desktop and phone, a simple way to ask better questions, and the habits that get the most out of it.
Level EntryTime about 9 minWorks on Web · Windows · Mac · Linux (beta) · iPhone and iPad · AndroidLast checked 12 Oct 2026
Download the printable PDFThe screen, mapped
- 1.Sidebar. New chat, Projects and your past chats (called Recents on some accounts). On a phone, tap the panel icon at top left.
- 2.Your name. Bottom of the sidebar; opens Settings. On a phone, open the sidebar and tap your name or initials.
- 3.Model picker. The small model name by the message box. Leave it on the default while you learn.
- 4.Incognito chat. The ghost icon at top right of a new chat. Not saved to history, not used for memory or training.
- 5.Plus button. Add files or photos, or connect tools such as Google Calendar.
- 6.Microphone and voice. Dictate, or start a spoken conversation.
The ghost icon only appears when you start a new chat outside a Project.
Nine steps before your first real question
0 of 9 done
- 01Install
- Desktop
- Go to claude.ai, or install the desktop app from claude.com/download.
- Phone
- App Store or Google Play. Search for Claude by Anthropic and check the developer is Anthropic.
Copycat apps exist. Check the developer name before you install, and never pay for an app that claims to be Claude from another company.
- 02Account
- Both
- Sign in with Google, or enter your email and use the link Claude sends you. If you open the link on a different device, it gives you a code to type in. New accounts also verify a mobile number by text message.
There is no Claude password to set. Each sign-in comes through your email or Google account, so those accounts are your front door. You must be 18 or older to use Claude.
- 03Security
- Turn on two-step verification on the email account you signed up with.
- myaccount.google.com › Security & sign-in › 2-Step Verification
There is no Claude password, so whoever controls your email or Google account can get into Claude. Secure that account first.
- 04Privacy
- Desktop
- Your name › Settings › Privacy › Help Improve our AI models
- Phone
- Your name › Settings › Privacy, same toggle
Switch it off if you would rather your conversations are not used to train future models. Once it is off, your new and past chats are not used in future training, but anything already used stays there. If you leave it on, chats can be kept for up to 5 years for training.
- 05Personalise
- Both
- Your name › Settings › General › Instructions for Claude. On some accounts the box is still under Settings › Profile.
Add your role, your country and how you like answers. Example: "I'm a bookkeeper in Perth. Use Australian English. Keep answers short and plain." It applies to all your chats.
- 06Memory
- Desktop
- Settings › Memory › Generate memory from chats, then review the Topics list
- In chat
- Ask "What do you remember about me?" and tell it to change or forget anything.
Memory is on by default on Free, Pro and Max. You can read, edit or delete every topic it holds, so check it once after your first week.
- 07Privacy
- Both
- Start a new chat, then tap the ghost icon at the top right before you type.
Incognito chats stay out of your history, are not used for memory and are not used for training, even if training is on. Anthropic still keeps them for 30 days for safety. You can't use incognito inside a Project.
- 08Habit
- Both
- See the list at the end of this sheet. Remove names and numbers before you paste, or describe the situation instead.
Treat anything you type as something that could be stored. Privacy settings reduce risk; they do not remove it.
- 09Plans
- Both
- Plans are Free, Pro and Max. Compare current prices at claude.com/pricing, or in the app store on your phone.
Free is enough to learn on. Upgrade when you often hit the usage limit, not before. Prices show in your local currency where Anthropic supports it, and buying through the App Store or Google Play can cost a different amount. Check the price before you pay.
The three-part question
Who it's for
Your role, the reader, the situation.
What you need
The task, plus the facts it needs to do it well.
How you want it
Length, format, tone, Australian English.
Weak prompt
summarise this report
Strong prompt
I'm a community nurse and this is a 14-page policy update from my employer. Summarise what changes for frontline staff from 1 December, and list anything I must do before then. Plain English, dot points, under 200 words, Australian English.
Nine habits that make it far more useful
Reply, don't restart
Keep shaping the same answer in the same chat.
"Shorter." "Plainer." "Make it a table."
Ask for options
Choosing between drafts is faster than fixing one.
"Give me 3 versions: formal, warm, brief."
Use a Project for repeat work
A Project keeps your files and instructions together so you stop re-explaining. Free accounts can have up to five.
Sidebar › Projects › + New Project
Ask for a document, not a reply
Claude can build a document, table or slide-style page you can keep and edit.
"Turn this into a one-page document."
Check the facts
It can sound sure and still be wrong. Verify names, numbers, laws and dates.
"Which parts of this should I double-check?"
One topic per chat
Long mixed chats get muddled. Start fresh for a new job.
Sidebar › New chat
Show it, don't describe it
Drop in a photo of a form, a PDF or a screenshot and ask about it.
"What does this letter want me to do?"
Make it teach you
Use it to learn, not only to produce.
"Explain it simply, then quiz me."
Shortcuts and safety
These common keys work in most chat boxes, including Claude. On a Mac with the desktop app, double-tap the Option key to open Claude from any app.
| Do this | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Send your message | Enter | Return |
| New line without sending | Shift Enter | Shift Return |
| Paste a screenshot into the chat | Ctrl V | Cmd V |
Never paste
- Passwords, PINs or sign-in codes
- Tax file number, Medicare, licence or passport numbers
- Bank or card details
- Other people's health, legal or personal records
- Confidential work material your employer has not cleared
Good first uses
- Rewrite a hard email so it lands well
- Turn messy notes into a clean document
- Explain a contract or policy in plain English
- Draft a plan for a project at home or work
- Practise a difficult conversation
Next Move
Your next step
Related on ApplyAI
Common questions
Yes. The Free plan is enough to learn on, and Pro and Max add higher usage limits. Prices show in your local currency where Anthropic supports it, and app store prices can differ, so check before you pay. You must be 18 or older to use Claude.
Open your name, then Settings, Privacy, and switch off Help Improve our AI models. Once it is off, your new and past chats are not used in future training. If you leave it on, chats can be kept for up to 5 years for training.
No. There is no Claude password: you sign in with Google or an email link, so secure that email or Google account with two-step verification instead. Whoever controls your email can get into Claude.
An incognito chat is not saved to your history, is not used for memory and is not used for training even if training is on. Start one with the ghost icon at the top right of a new chat. Anthropic keeps it for 30 days for safety, and you cannot use incognito inside a Project.
Go to Settings, Memory, Generate memory from chats, and review the Topics list, where you can read, edit or delete every topic. You can also ask Claude what it remembers about you and tell it to change or forget anything.
Your name, Settings, General, Instructions for Claude. On some accounts the box is still under Settings, Profile. Add your role, your country and how you like answers, and it applies to all your chats.
Sources
- Anthropic: How do I change my model improvement privacy settings
- Anthropic: How long do you store my data
- Anthropic: Use chat search and memory
- Anthropic: Use incognito chats
- Anthropic: Personalization features
- Anthropic: Log in to your Claude account
- Anthropic: Verify your phone number
- Anthropic: Change the model
- Anthropic: Create and manage Projects
- Anthropic: What is the Pro plan
- Anthropic: Install Claude desktop
General information only, checked on the date shown and provided free of charge. These apps change their settings and menus often, so confirm every step against the app in front of you. Nothing here is legal, financial, security or privacy advice, and you use it at your own risk. To the extent permitted by law, AJILITY PTY LTD (trading as Apply AI Co and Adopt AI Co) excludes all liability for any loss arising from reliance on this guide. Our Terms apply.
ApplyAI is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic. Claude is a trademark of Anthropic. Screen drawings are our own simplified illustrations, not screenshots.