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Use /context to see which instruction files and rules loaded for the current Claude Code session. Use /memory to find or edit memory files and manage auto memory. To change what loads in a future session, update the right file or Project instructions setting, then verify the result with /context.
What is the difference between /context and /memory?
| Command | Purpose | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
/context |
Inspect context loaded for the current session | Check the Memory files list for loaded CLAUDE.md and rules files. |
/memory |
Manage memory sources | Browse memory locations, open a file in your editor, create a selected file if it does not exist, and toggle auto memory where supported. |
They answer different questions: /context shows what was included at launch; /memory helps locate and manage files that can supply persistent context. Finding a file in /memory does not by itself prove it loaded into this session.
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How do I see what Claude Code loaded?
- Run
/contextin the Claude Code session you want to inspect. - Review the Memory files list for the project
CLAUDE.mdand any relevant rules files.
This checks the observed load state for that session. A file’s presence on disk alone is not confirmation that Claude Code included it.
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What kinds of memory and instruction files are there?
CLAUDE.md: instructions written by people
CLAUDE.md files hold user-written instructions and rules. Anthropic describes these files as context, not enforced configuration. They can guide Claude, but they are not a technical guarantee that an action will be blocked or permitted. For enforcement, Anthropic points to hooks and settings rather than prose instructions alone.
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Instruction files can be supplied at different scopes:
- Organization-wide managed instructions.
- User instructions at
~/.claude/CLAUDE.md. - Project instructions at
./CLAUDE.mdor./.claude/CLAUDE.md. - Local project instructions at
./CLAUDE.local.md.
Project and local instruction files in ancestor directories load at launch; files in subdirectories load on demand. A CLAUDE.md can also import other files with an @path/to/import reference. Relative and absolute paths are supported, imports can be nested up to four hops, and imported files load alongside the file that references them. An import from outside the working directory requires approval the first time. Import syntax inside Markdown code spans or fenced code blocks is not evaluated.
Auto memory: useful learnings Claude records
Auto memory is written by Claude to retain useful learnings and patterns, such as preferences and corrections. By default, its files are stored at ~/.claude/projects/<project>/memory/. The MEMORY.md index is loaded at startup, up to the first 200 lines or 25 KB, whichever comes first. Separate topic files are read on demand.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAuto memory is machine-local, not shared between machines or cloud environments. Worktrees and subdirectories in the same repository share the repository’s memory directory.
How do I change what loads in a future session?
- Choose the right file. Put project-wide guidance in a project
CLAUDE.md, personal preferences in~/.claude/CLAUDE.md, or private project preferences inCLAUDE.local.md. Keep lasting guidance concise and concrete. - Choose which instruction sources Claude Code uses. In a session, open
/configand change Project instructions. Documented choices areclaude-md-or-agents-md,claude-md-and-agents-md,claude-md, andmanaged-only. The change applies from the next message and in every new session. - Open or create a memory file. Run
/memoryand select the file to edit it in your user editor. Selecting a file that does not yet exist creates it first. - Verify the result. In the next session, run
/contextand check the Memory files list for the expected instruction file.
Why isn’t my CLAUDE.md showing up in context?
Check the file’s location and the Project instructions mode. In the default claude-md-or-agents-md mode, Claude Code reads CLAUDE.md files, or AGENTS.md files if there is no CLAUDE.md or CLAUDE.local.md in the working directory or above it. The claude-md-and-agents-md mode reads both; claude-md selects CLAUDE.md files, while managed-only selects managed instructions. Managed policy instructions cannot be excluded through individual settings.
Also consider whether the file is in a subdirectory: those files load on demand rather than at launch. If you changed a setting or file during a session, verify from a new session with /context rather than assuming the current context changed.
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What can I control about auto memory?
Auto memory is on by default in local sessions and off by default in self-hosted environments outside Claude Tag sessions. In supported sessions, /memory can toggle it. It can also be disabled for a project with autoMemoryEnabled or globally with CLAUDE_CODE_DISABLE_AUTO_MEMORY=1.
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Background sessions and sessions started by another Claude Code session cannot use the toggle to turn auto memory back on. To re-enable it, launch Claude Code directly in a terminal.
How long should a CLAUDE.md be?
Anthropic recommends keeping each CLAUDE.md under 200 lines as a target: longer instructions use more context and may reduce adherence. This is guidance, not a hard file limit or a mechanism for enforcing rules. It is separate from the documented 4 MiB file-load ceiling for CLAUDE.md files and the auto-memory index’s startup limit of 200 lines or 25 KB.
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