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To create a Claude Skill, make a folder with a SKILL.md file, describe the Skill in YAML frontmatter, add focused instructions, and install it on the Claude surface you use. Claude.ai takes a ZIP upload, Claude Code discovers Skills in designated folders, and the API has its own file-upload route. Test several prompts after installation; creating a valid folder does not guarantee Claude will use it for every related request.
What a Claude Skill is—and what to build first
A Skill is a folder centered on a SKILL.md file. It gives Claude instructions for a repeatable workflow, and can include supporting reference files or executable files when the task calls for them. Start with one focused task rather than trying to capture every way you use Claude.
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For example, a Skill might explain how to turn meeting notes into a summary with decisions, action items, owners, and deadlines. The folder name meeting-summary/ below is illustrative, not a required Anthropic naming convention.
meeting-summary/
└── SKILL.mdAnthropic’s guide, “How to create custom skills,” dated July 22, 2026, describes Skills as focused workflows and recommends clear instructions, examples where useful, and a clear indication of when a Skill should be used. The guide specifies a maximum of 64 characters for the name and 200 characters for the description; check the current guide in case those limits change.
Write the SKILL.md file
Start the file with YAML frontmatter containing a name and description. Put the practical workflow instructions in the body beneath the frontmatter.
---
name: Meeting Summary
description: Turn meeting notes or transcripts into a concise summary with decisions, action items, owners, and deadlines.
---
# Meeting Summary
When given meeting notes or a transcript:
1. Identify the meeting's purpose and key topics.
2. List decisions separately from discussion points.
3. Extract action items, owners, and deadlines when stated.
4. Mark missing owners or dates as unspecified; do not invent them.
5. Keep the summary concise and use headings for decisions and action items.Make the description useful for discovery
The description should say both what the Skill does and when Claude should use it. A vague description such as “Helps with meetings” gives little guidance. A more specific one states the input and outcome, and signals the triggering situation—for example, meeting notes or a transcript that needs a structured summary.
Keep the instructions operational
Write instructions Claude can follow: define the expected output, the order of steps, and how to handle missing information. Add examples or supporting files only when they improve the workflow. A minimal Skill can consist of SKILL.md; Anthropic also describes multi-file packages for workflows that need more material.
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These routes are distinct. Choose based on where you want the Skill to run, rather than assuming a Skill installed in one product automatically appears in another.
| Surface | Installation method | Scope or prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| Claude.ai | Package the Skill folder as a ZIP and upload it in Claude settings. | Anthropic’s Help Center says custom Skills are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans with code execution enabled. Organizational controls vary by plan. [Anthropic Help Center] |
| Claude Code | Place a directory containing SKILL.md in a supported Skills location. |
~/.claude/skills/ is the documented personal location; .claude/skills/ is the documented project location. [Claude Code Skills documentation] |
| Skills API | Upload files through the API’s create-Skill endpoint. | Files must share a top-level directory, with SKILL.md at that directory’s root. This is a developer workflow, separate from Claude.ai’s ZIP upload. [Anthropic API reference] |
Upload a Skill to Claude.ai
- Put
SKILL.mdand any required supporting files inside the Skill folder. - Package the folder as a ZIP archive.
- In Claude, open Customize > Skills, choose the create or upload flow, and upload the ZIP. The Help Center labels or layout may change; use the current Skills settings if they differ.
- Confirm the Skill appears in your Skills list, then toggle it on.
Eligibility, feature availability, and organizational controls can vary by plan and settings. If the Skills area or upload option is unavailable, check the current Claude Help Center guidance and your organization’s controls.
Install a Skill for Claude Code
For a personal Skill, put its directory under ~/.claude/skills/. For a project Skill, put it under .claude/skills/ in the project. The paths represent different scopes: the first is personal, while the second belongs to the project. Use Anthropic’s current Claude Code documentation if the paths or discovery behavior have changed.
~/.claude/skills/meeting-summary/SKILL.md
project/.claude/skills/meeting-summary/SKILL.mdUpload through the Skills API
Use the API route only if you are building with Anthropic’s developer API. The create endpoint expects uploaded files to share a top-level directory and requires SKILL.md at that directory’s root. Consult the current Create Skill API reference for authentication and version headers before making a request; this upload process is not the Claude.ai ZIP workflow.
Test whether Claude applies the Skill as intended
Anthropic’s Help Center advises: “After uploading a custom skill, test it with a few different prompts to ensure it works as expected.” Try a small set of prompts that checks both the workflow and its boundaries:
- Clear match: Give Claude input that plainly belongs to the Skill, such as a set of meeting notes to summarize.
- Realistic variation: Try a different but plausible input for the same workflow, such as a transcript with decisions but no explicit deadlines.
- Nearby non-match: Ask for something related to meetings but outside the Skill’s task, such as drafting an agenda. Check whether Claude avoids applying the summary workflow unnecessarily.
Check whether Claude uses the Skill at the right time and follows its instructions. If it misses an appropriate request, make the description’s trigger conditions clearer. If it applies the Skill to unrelated requests, narrow those conditions. If the output is wrong or incomplete, revise the body instructions and test again.
Review a Skill before enabling it
A Skill is executable instructions for Claude, and a package may contain more than the visible SKILL.md. Anthropic warns that Skills from third parties can pose prompt-injection and data-exfiltration risks. Before enabling a Skill from a person or repository you do not trust, inspect its contents rather than relying on the fact that it follows the Skill format.
- Review the instructions and all bundled files, including code and reference materials.
- Check dependencies and what any executable files do.
- Look for instructions to connect to untrusted network sources or transmit data.
- Enable it only if its behavior and required access are appropriate for your use.
See Anthropic’s custom Skills guidance for upload details and Use skills in Claude for testing and security information.
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