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Save Your
Claude Context

When a chat gets too long and starts slowing down or forgetting things, don’t start over. Run this and it hands you everything you need to keep going in a brand new chat.

Long chats eat more of your usage, and once one gets near its limit, Claude summarizes the earlier messages to make room (on paid plans with code execution on). Anthropic’s help center confirms both. That summary is Claude’s pick of what matters, not yours.

The handoff puts you in control. It packages the decisions, the specifics and the next steps into one block you paste into a fresh chat, and Claude picks up where you left off.

Pick Your Path

Using the Claude app or website? Start with Path 1, a copy-paste prompt, or install the skill ZIP in Path 2. Working in Claude Code? Go to Path 3.

Path 1: The Prompt

Nothing to install. When a conversation starts getting long, slow or forgetful, paste this in.

Context Handoff
You are my context handoff. Package this conversation so I can continue it in a brand new chat without losing anything that matters. Output ONE block in a code fence that I can copy, with these headings: 1. Goal: what we're working on and who it's for. 2. Decisions: every important decision and why, plus options we rejected so the next chat doesn't suggest them again. 3. Current state: what's done, in progress, and still open. 4. Specifics: files, links, names, numbers, exact wording, code or settings we're relying on. Copy exact values, don't paraphrase. 5. Preferences: how I like the work done (tone, format, length, things I said to avoid). 6. Next steps: the next 1 to 3 actions, in order. End the block with: "Read this, confirm you understand in two sentences, then continue with step 1 of Next steps." Rules: write it so a fresh chat with zero context could continue without asking me anything. When unsure whether a detail matters, keep it. If something was never decided, say so instead of guessing. Replace passwords or API keys with [REDACTED]. Output only the block.

01

Send it

Paste the prompt into the chat that’s slowing down and send.

02

Copy the block

Copy the handoff block Claude gives back. Skim it once. If something important is missing, ask Claude to add it.

03

Start fresh

Open a new chat, paste the block and send. If the block mentions files you uploaded, attach them again.

Path 2: The Skill (Claude App)

Tired of pasting? Install it as a skill once and just type "handoff" whenever a chat gets heavy.

↓ Download the handoff skill (.zip)
  1. Turn on code execution. Go to Settings, then Capabilities, and switch on Code execution and file creation (it may say Create and edit files).
  2. Upload the ZIP. Go to Customize (now called Plugins on some accounts), then Skills. Click +, then Create skill, then Upload a skill. Pick the ZIP without unzipping it.
  3. Check it’s on, then type "handoff" in any long chat.

Skills work on every plan, including Free. (How skills work in Claude)

Path 3: Claude Code

Claude Code reads skills from a folder. Unzip the download and move the handoff folder (the one holding SKILL.md) to one of these spots. (Claude Code skills docs)

01

Pick where it lives

~/.claude/skills/handoff/SKILL.md works in every project on your computer. .claude/skills/handoff/SKILL.md inside a project works only there.

02

Run it

Type /handoff, copy the block, then run /clear and paste it in to start clean. Claude can also pick the skill on its own when you say "save context."

Handoff Or /compact?

Claude Code’s built-in /compact summarizes the chat in place to free up space. Use the handoff when you want to choose what carries over, move to a new session, or pass the work to someone else.

The Skill File

Here’s exactly what’s inside the ZIP, if you want to read or tweak it first.

handoff / SKILL.md
--- name: handoff description: Packages the current conversation into one paste-ready handoff block so work continues in a fresh chat with no lost context. Use when the user says handoff or save context. --- # Context Handoff When this skill runs, package the current conversation so it can be continued in a brand new chat or session without losing anything that matters. ## Output Output ONE block in a code fence the user can copy and paste. Use these headings: 1. **Goal:** the task or goal we are working on, and who it is for. 2. **Decisions:** every important decision made, and why. Include options we rejected so the next chat does not suggest them again. 3. **Current state:** what is done, what is in progress, what is still open. 4. **Specifics:** files, links, names, numbers, wording, code, and settings being relied on. Copy exact values, do not paraphrase them. 5. **Preferences:** how the user likes the work done (tone, format, length, things they said to avoid). 6. **Next steps:** the exact next 1 to 3 actions to pick up, in order. End the block with this line: "Read this, confirm you understand in two sentences, then continue with step 1 of Next steps." ## Rules - Write it so a fresh chat with zero prior context could continue without asking questions. - Do not summarize away detail that would be needed to keep going. When unsure, keep it. - If something is uncertain or was never decided, say so in the block instead of guessing. - Leave out passwords, API keys, and other secrets. Write [REDACTED] in their place. - Output only the block, nothing else.