If you’ve ever used Claude to analyze something, brainstorm, or plan a project, only to return later and start from scratch, you’re not alone. Until now, Claude had no memory of past conversations. Every chat was a clean slate. That’s finally changing.

On August 11, Anthropic announced a major update to Claude that introduces a long-awaited feature: the ability to search and reference past chats on demand. It’s now rolling out to users on Claude’s Max, Team, and Enterprise plans, across web, desktop, and mobile.

Claude can now reference past chats, so you can easily pick up from where you left off. pic.twitter.com/n9ZgaTRC1y

— Claude (@claudeai) August 11, 2025

This isn’t the same kind of memory you’ll find in tools like ChatGPT, which slowly builds a profile about you in the background. Claude’s approach is a little more intentional. You have to ask it to bring something up from the past. It doesn’t do it automatically, and it doesn’t remember anything unless you say so.

To turn the feature on, users can head to Settings → Profile → “Search and reference chats.” Once enabled, you can tell Claude things like:

“Can you find that conversation where we discussed landing page ideas for skincare products?”

Claude will look through your past chats and bring up relevant summaries or details – helping you continue where you left off without needing to start over.

This update matters more than it might seem. For anyone who uses Claude regularly for work, content, coding, or research, memory helps make it feel less like a one-off chatbot and more like a capable assistant. You’re not just saving time. You’re building continuity.

What’s also worth noting is that this feature aligns with Anthropic’s broader strategy. As ChatGPT pushes ahead with more persistent memory and customizable profiles, Anthropic seems to be carving out a middle path — one that focuses on on-demand context without automatic data profiling. It’s designed to help users stay productive, without the privacy trade-offs some people worry about in other AI tools.

Right now, the memory feature is available only to paid subscribers, but signs suggest broader access may follow. It’s also being tested in Claude’s iOS app, along with deeper integrations like Artifacts Gallery and mobile tool connectivity.

In a fast-moving AI world, memory is becoming a defining feature. And while Claude’s version is still cautious by design, it’s a clear step forward — one that makes the tool more practical, more personal, and easier to rely on over time.