# Get started with Claude: your first useful chat

> Make a free Claude account, ask a clear first question, attach a file, and learn what to check before you trust the answer.

Level: Beginner
Tool: Claude
Category: Getting started
Time: About 10 minutes
Checked: 2026-10-15
Tools: [Claude](https://claude.ai)
HTML page: https://easyaihowtos.com/guides/get-started-with-claude

Claude is a chat assistant made by Anthropic. This guide gets you from a blank screen to one finished, checked piece of work in about ten minutes, without any jargon.

## What you need

- An email address or a Google account to sign in
- A web browser, or the Claude app on your phone or computer
- One small real task, such as an email to answer or a document to understand

## Steps

### 1. Open Claude and sign in

Go to **claude.ai** in your browser, or install the Claude app. Choose to sign in with your email or Google account and follow the code or link Claude sends you. The free plan is enough for everything in this guide.

### 2. Start a new chat

You land on a page with one big message box. That box is where you type. Each new chat starts fresh, so Claude does not remember other chats unless you turn on memory features later.

### 3. Ask for one clear thing

Say what you want, who it is for, and how long it should be. Replace the parts in brackets.

Prompt:

```
I need to [reply to an email from my landlord about a late repair].
Write a short, polite reply, under 120 words.
Here is the email: [paste the email]
```

### 4. Ask for changes instead of starting over

Reply in the same chat: "Make it friendlier," "Shorter," or "Add that I am free Tuesday after 5." Claude keeps the earlier messages in mind within one chat.

### 5. Attach a file when the answer depends on it

Click the **+** or paperclip button next to the message box and pick a PDF, document, or image. Then ask a question about it, such as "What are the deadlines in this letter?"

### 6. Check before you use it

Read the answer yourself. Check names, dates, prices, and anything quoted from your file against the original. Claude can sound sure and still be wrong.

## Tips

- Free plans have a message limit that resets after a few hours. If you hit it, wait or keep long tasks to fewer, fuller messages.
- Do not paste passwords, full card numbers, or ID numbers. Cover them before you attach a photo or file.
- If the answer is too long, say exactly how long you want it: 'three bullet points' works better than 'shorter.'

## FAQ

### Is Claude free?

Yes, there is a free plan with daily limits. Paid plans add more use and features. Limits change, so check the plan page in your account.

### Does Claude remember my other chats?

Each chat is separate by default. Some plans offer memory and Projects that share context; you can see and change these in Settings.

### What if I don't see the + button?

Look for a paperclip or "Add files" option near the message box. On phones it may be inside a small menu.

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This guide is from Easy AI How-To (https://easyaihowtos.com). It is independent of the tools named above. Screens and free-plan limits change, so check the date before you rely on a button name.