To create a custom Skill in the Claude app, write a SKILL.md file inside a skill folder, package that folder as a ZIP, then upload and enable it under Customize > Skills. You’ll need code execution and file creation enabled. The steps below follow Anthropic’s Claude app workflow documented on March 16, 2026; settings and labels can change, so check Claude’s live Help Center if your screen differs.
What a Claude Skill does—and when to create one
A Skill packages specialized knowledge or a repeatable procedure so Claude can apply it to relevant tasks. Use one when you want Claude to follow a particular process—such as turning a transcript into structured meeting notes—rather than simply remember background information.
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Keep each Skill focused on one workflow. Its description is especially important: Claude uses it to determine when the Skill is relevant. Anthropic’s official guide describes the required file and metadata, along with guidance for adding examples and supporting resources.
Check that Skills are available to your account
Skills require code execution and file creation to be enabled. For individual Free, Pro, and Max accounts, check Settings > Capabilities. For Team and Enterprise accounts, access may depend on organization settings under Organization settings > Plugins & skills, and Enterprise custom roles may also limit who can create Skills. If the Skills option is missing, check those settings or ask an organization owner.
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Anthropic’s Skills use guide lists Skills for Free, Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans when code execution is enabled. Team and Enterprise administrators can restrict user-created Skills; organization-wide provisioning is separate from a personal upload. A Skill you upload for yourself is not automatically visible to colleagues.
How to create a custom Skill in Claude
- Define a repeatable task. Decide what Claude should produce, what steps it should follow, and when the procedure applies. Separate unrelated workflows into separate Skills.
- Create a folder and a
SKILL.mdfile. Add YAML frontmatter at the very top of the file, followed by Markdown instructions. The required frontmatter fields arenameanddescription. Anthropic’s app guide documents a maximum of 64 characters for the name and 200 characters for the description; product limits can change. - Write the instructions and trigger description. Make the description specific enough to help Claude recognize when to use the Skill. In the body, spell out the workflow and expected output. Include an example if it would make the desired result clearer.
- Add supporting files only when useful. Put lengthy reference material or information needed only in certain cases in separate files, and refer to them from
SKILL.md. Advanced Skills can also include executable code. Dependencies differ by environment: Claude and Claude Code can install packages from standard repositories, while API Skills need dependencies pre-installed in the container, according to Anthropic’s guide. - ZIP the skill folder. Place the folder itself inside the ZIP rather than putting its contents directly at the archive root. Anthropic’s guide says the folder name should match the Skill’s name.
- Upload and enable it. In Claude, open Customize > Skills, select the plus button, choose + Create skill, then Upload a skill. Select the ZIP. When the Skill appears in the list, toggle it on. These are the steps in Anthropic’s use guide.
- Test it with realistic requests. Try several prompts that should trigger the workflow and check whether Claude uses the Skill. If it does not, sharpen the description, make the instructions more explicit, and test again. You can also name the Skill directly in a request.
Example SKILL.md
---
name: meeting-notes
description: Turn meeting transcripts into concise notes using our agreed structure.
---
# Meeting notes
When given a meeting transcript, organize it into attendees, decisions, action items, owners, and deadlines. Mark missing information as unknown rather than guessing.This starter keeps the task and trigger clear, and tells Claude how to handle missing information. Replace the description and workflow with the procedure you actually want Claude to follow.
Skills, Projects, custom instructions, and MCP: which should you use?
| Feature | Best fit | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Skills | A repeatable procedure for relevant tasks | Claude can apply specialized instructions when the task matches the Skill. |
| Projects | Background knowledge for chats in a project | Use a Project when persistent context is the main need. |
| Custom instructions | Preferences that should apply broadly | They guide conversations generally rather than packaging one task-specific workflow. |
| MCP connectors | Access to external services and data | Connectors provide tool or data access; Skills provide procedural knowledge and can complement them. |
This distinction follows Anthropic’s feature comparison. Creating a Skill in the Claude app is also different from the developer workflows for API Skills or Managed Agents. Managed Agents documentation describes uploading Skills to a workspace and attaching them to an agent; API use has separate dependency and deployment requirements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common upload and activation problems
The Skills menu is missing
- Confirm code execution and file creation are enabled in your account’s capabilities.
- On Team or Enterprise, ask an owner or administrator to check organization settings and your role permissions.
Claude rejects the ZIP
- Make sure the archive contains the skill folder, with
SKILL.mdinside it—not just the file contents at the ZIP root. - Check that the folder name matches the Skill name and that the file has valid
nameanddescriptionfrontmatter. - Check the current Claude Help Center for applicable file constraints, including ZIP size; those limits can change.
The Skill does not activate
- Confirm its toggle is on.
- Rewrite the description to say exactly what the Skill does and which requests should trigger it.
- Test multiple representative prompts; naming the Skill explicitly can help distinguish a discovery problem from unclear instructions.
You are considering a Skill someone else shared
Before enabling a Skill from a less-trusted source, review its bundled files, dependencies, scripts, and instructions that connect to external network sources. Anthropic includes this security advice in its Skills use guide.
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